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Jamming with the Elderberry!

I am loving the Autumn! Mainly because the gardens (and the parks) are full of berries, fruit and veg! My dad keeps sending me these pics of the produce he is collecting from his big garden (he is the proud owner of many apple trees)….

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While in return I send him this (even more proud owner of the rhubarb)… To be fear,  my garden is a much smaller garden than my dads!

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The other day I went out for a run with my neighbour Anna. While we were running we were picking some elderberries that were just waiting for us by the river (how cool is that!). On the way home me and Anna we were already plotting what we were going to do with our find (how exciting!). Anna could not wait, so she made her jam on the same afternoon. That was some tasty sugarless elderberry jam with some honey and drizzle of lemon!

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Meanwhile (two days later) I have made some big jamming experiment by combining apples and my lovely rhubarb which I though was even more amazing! Had to make the basic elderberry jam first as these small little berries need sieving (all those tiny seeds etc). But you must try this out while it is still not too late!

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ELDERBERRY JAM

  • 500g elderberries
  • 500g jam sugar

1. Wash the elderberries under cold running water and gently pull off the berries from the stems (you can freeze the berries prior to make this job easer).

2. Cook the berries in the dry saucepan until the juice until the juice start running. Use the wooden spoon to bruise the berries slightly.

3. Add one third of sugar into the saucepan and continue cooking everything until the berries becomes thoroughly soft and pulpy.

4. Sieve the mixture trough the fine mesh (no seeds must go through).

5. Put the pulp, juice and remaining sugar back into the cleaned saucepan. Let this simmer for half an hour, stirring and skimming frequently.

6. Remove the pan from the heat and skim off any impurities from the surface using a slotted spoon. Leave to cool for 5 minutes. Pour the Elderberry Jam into heated sterilised jars and seal. Leave the jars to cool completely, then label and store in a cool, dark place.

ELDERBERRY & RHUBARB JAM

  • 350g rhubarb (trimmed and cut into 1cm pieces)
  • 300ml water
  • 1tbsp rose water (my secret ingredient ;)
  • 150g elderberry jam
  • 350g jam sugar

1. Put rhubarb, water and rose water into the saucepan and bring it to boil.

2. Cook the rhubarb for 10min and then add elderberry jam and sugar.

3. Boil the jam for another 15 min.

4. Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool for 5 minutes. Pour the jam into heated sterilised jars and seal. Leave the jars to cool completely, then label and store in a cool, dark place.

ELDERBERRY & APPLE JAM

  • 350g apples (peeled, cored and chopped)
  • 80ml water
  • 1tbsp cinnamon
  • 150g elderberry jam
  • 350g brown sugar

1. Put apples and water into the saucepan and bring it to boil.

2. Cook the apples for 10min and then add elderberry jam, sugar and cinnamon.

3. Boil the jam for another 15 min.

4. Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool for 5 minutes. Pour the jam into heated sterilised jars and seal. Leave the jars to cool completely, then label and store in a cool, dark place.

Happy jamming!

Rasa :)

 

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