Blackberry and apple jam recipe
Comments(214)
It was Anne Mary that pointed out that apple and blackberry jam would be full of blackberry pips.
“They’d get stuck in your teeth and drive you mad. Stick to bramble jelly.”
I love jelly. We make loads of jelly every year. More often than not it is used as a base for a sauce rather than dolloped on a plate of roast lamb or pork.
Imagine my delight when I found this recipe for Blackberry and Apple Jam in my aunt’s ancient handwritten cookbook. As it is sieved there are no seeds and the jam is delicious, spread on hot buttered toast in the morning.
Blackberry and Apple Jam recipe
Ingredients:
- 1k (roughly 2lb) of blackberries
- 350g (12ozs) of apples (eating apples, windfalls are fine)
- Water
- White granulated sugar
Method:
- Core and roughly chop the apples (skin on).
- Put the apples, cores and blackberries in a large preservaing pan or large heavy bottomed saucepan. Add just enough water to cover and simmer until soft.
- Sieve the softened fruit and weigh the sieved pulp (discard the skins and seeds left in the sieve). Add 450g (1lb) of sugar for each 450g (1lb) of sieved pulp.
- Put sieved pulp and sugar into a large heavy bottomed saucepan (or preserving pan) and heat very gently until the sugar has dissolved.
- Bring the jam to the boil and continue to boil very rapidly for about 8-10 minutes until the jam reaches setting point. (What is setting point? See tricks and tips below).
- When the jam has set, carefully pour into warm, sterilised jars, using a ladle or small jug (How to sterilise jars? See tricks and tips below)
- Cover the jars with tight fitting screw-top lids, or waxed disks and cellophane pot covers (waxed disks, wax facing downwards and plastic covers secured with plastic bands).
- Label when cold and store in a cool, dark place, away from damp.
Tricks and Tips:
- Jam “set” or “setting point”:
Getting the right set can be tricky. I have tried using a jam thermometer but find it easier to use the following method. Before you start to make the jam, put a couple of plates in the fridge so that the warm jam can be drizzled onto a cold plate (when we make jam we often forget to return the plate to the fridge between tests, using two plates means that you have a spare cold plate). Return the plate to the fridge to cool for approx two minutes. It has set when you run your finger through it and leave a crinkly track mark. If after two minutes the cooled jam is too liquid, continue to boil the jam, testing it every few minutes until you have the right set. The jam is far more delicious if it is slightly runny. - Sterilising the jars:
We collect jars all year round for our jelly, chutney and jam making sessions. I try to soak off labels and store the clean jars and metal plastic coated screw-top lids in an accessible place. The sterilising method that we used is simple. Just before making the jam, I quickly wash and rinse the jars and place them upside down in a cold oven. Set the temperature to 160c/140c for fan assisted. When the oven has reached the right temperature I turn off the heat. The jars will stay warm for quite a while. I only use plastic lined lids for preserves as the all-metal lids can go rusty. I boil these for five minutes in water to sterilise them. If I use Le Parfait jars, I do the same with the rubber rings.
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Thank you for your comments. And a bit of silly bath time fun with the Frothing Sea Monster trick!
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FD
Oooh keep posting the recipes I love them and I really fancy trying this one as soon as we get settled in our new place (without the land you have *sigh*
Another fantastic recipe Fiona! Yesterday I made Damson Cheese – found your recipe when I googled, it was 2nd, behind Mrs Beeton’s! I added crab apples to the damsons (just because they were there) – intense! purple! delicious! You can’t beat home-made fruit preserves on toast. I might just have to make this one too.
What a good recipe … just as easy as jelly, and without pips … and lovely for you that it’s an old family recipe
Thanks for sharing
Joanna
joannasfood.blogspot.com
I’ve just ditched my first batch of blackberry jelly (there’s a blog post pending!) – I tried to do it neat (with liquid pectin rather than apples) but it was an abject failure – no chance of setting.
I’m getting some more blackberries in this evening as it happens (my parents are bringing me some – they are looking to move and are not making jam or freezing anything, but can’t help themselves picking when they see them!) so will have a go at your recipe…
Hi Dragon,
Why not pick some blackberries and freeze them so they are there to make the jam when you are settled in.
Hi Celia,
I love the way you are so inventive with recipes. Damson and crab apples are perfect partners. Hope that the jam works for you too.
Hi Joanna,
It is easy and delicious too.
Hi Richard,
Lucky you having parents that pick for you. It took me five hours to pick five pounds of blackberries this week!
Interesting to hear about the blackberry jelly, what a shame it didn’t work out.
That’s a good recipe – the ‘body’ of jam, but without pips and no need to core the apples either. I wonder if the pips add pectin, as orange pips do in marmalade?
I usually make jelly, although I like pips. But no one else in the family does.
This sounds lovely! Hubby and the boys made blackberry jam last year, with pips. Before we went on holiday we picked some blackberries growing in the garden, froze them for our return. We’ve picked some more and just keep adding them to the freezer until we decide what to do with them.
Hi z,
I know that apple skins contain pectin. Not sure about the pips.
The jam is scrummy.
Hi Amanda,
It’s well worth bunging blackberries in the freezer as they are great in the winter in a crumble or sauce.
Hi everybody,
Have been making blackberry jelly for past two years, there’s an enormous crop again this year in Southern Ireland. I make jelly also because of the pips but decided to try and sieve blackberries yesterday and combine with apples so was delighted to find your recipe. I use preserving sugar and only have to fast boil for one minute generally, also add lemon juice, gives great result very easily.
Hi Margaret,
Thanks for your tips. Preserving sugar is a good one if the fruit (blackberry) doesn’t contain much pectin. Adding lemon juice helps as well. So pleased that you found us and made a comment.
Hi,
Just made blackberry and apple jam from your recipe today. Looks beautiful. I am always so amazed that no one else here where I live (suburb of London) ever seems to blackberry pick so I get huge amounts from the local park near me – and hazlenuts, sloes, damsons, apples and rosehips! People ask me what I am doing and seem amazed when I say I am picking blackberries for jam and pies. Can you tell me, once opened, how long will this jam last kept in the fridge?
Many thanks
Linda
Hi Linda,
I rarely see other foragers around here (in the country). Quite a few walkers stop and point me in the direction of new places to forage, wich is handy.
Once opened, it will be at its best for about a month, kept in the fridge
I used your recipe to make chilli jam which I love but can rarely buy where I live ( substituting the blackberries for chillies)
The apples make a great base for this and it turned out so nice I even have the chilli jam on toast
Thank you
Hi Veritee,
Thanks for taking the trouble to make a comment. Your’s is a hot taste. Glad it worked out well for you.
This is lovely! Two small jam converts agree this is the best jam they’ve tasted.
A lot of picking needed, but so worth it in the end. Great too to have a use for the slightly unattractive looking apples that have managed to hit the ground from our tiny tree, without being snaffled up by the children!
Thank you.
Lisa
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for leaving your impressions of this jam. Much appreciated. I am so pleased that it turned out well for you.
Picking blackberries is really time consuming but I think that this recipe makes it worth the sweat.
I’m going to give the jam a go tonight! Wish me luck!
Hi Donna,
Hope that is works well for you.
HI
I have just made a huge batch of apple and blackberry jelly and have loads of pulp left, do you think i could use it to make this lovely sounding jam, i think it would be a shame to waste it
Hi Mary,
You have the pulp but no liquid. Blackberry and apple cheese might be a better route to take – use the fruit and sugar ratio from our blackberry and apple jam recipe and the method of our quince cheese recipe.
I’d love to hear how it turns out, which ever you do!
Hi
Recipe sounds great – what’s even better is that you reply to questions! well done!
My question is that I have about 6lb of blackberries, picked over the last 2 months, stored in the freezer – will I still be able to make this jam? I read somewhere, jam won’t work so well if the berries have been frozen. Thanks V
Hi Virginia,
I have frozen fruit and used it later to make jam, jelly, chutney etc. All fine.
I am no expert so can’t give the definitive answer to your question. Personally I would go for it.
If you do, really interested in hearing about how you got on, along with all those people out there who are thinking about the same conundrum!
Thanks for leaving a comment. Much appreciated.
Thanks for your advice, I have followed your quince cheese recipe with by blackberry and apple pulp and it is currently in the simmering oven of the AGA. Actually the pulp is a real ‘leftover’ mixture including crab apples, eating and cooking apples, a couple of odd quinces, a bag of frozen fruits of the forest that must of been in the freezer for years all topped up with blackberrys that I had previously frozen and a bit of fresh ginger. I made jelly I made from the juice adding more spices when I added the sugar and it has made lovely spiced jelly, so fingers crossed the cheese will be as nice. Rather than passing the pulp through a sieve I put it through my passata machine, so much easier and one gadget I am pleased I invested in some years ago.
Hi Mary
Your spiced jelly sounds great! What a good idea to put the fruit through a passata machine, sieving can be a bit laborious. Hope the fruit cheese works out well!
I seemed to miss all the blackberries this year, but thats just the riceipe I was looking for. Enjoyinh looking round your blog.
Hi Joanna,
The blackberries came and went so quickly in this neck of the woods too.
Glad that you are enjoying the blog.
Hi
I asked you a few weeks ago if I could still make this jam with berries that had been frozen and you asked me to let you know how I got on – well I made it yesterday and got 20 (!) jars of delicious and what’s more SET jam – not only is this a triumph, but it was my first attempt at jam making and it was SO easy to follow your recipe – thank you SO much!! Plenty of Christmas presents just waiting for labels now! Virginia
Hi Virginia,
Thanks so much for leaving an update!
I am delighted that our recipe worked for you. You can make your own labels using address labels if you have a printer. We have a post on this here http://www.cottagesmallholder.com/?p=94
Hi everyone, just after some advice, disaster has struck the jam and jellies i made earlier this year for chritmas presents all seem to be mouldy. i sterilised the jars in the oven and boiled the lids, does anyone know where i’m going wrong? Any help would be appreciated don’t want the same happening nexy year. Good job i’ve got the sloe gin to fall back on.
Hi Louisa,
How dissapointing.
This problem came up for another visitor to the blog at the weekend. It has also happened to me in the past. The problem, I suspect is where you are storing your preserves.
The first year that I made preserves there was no room in the larder so I put them into a large tin chest in an insulated shed in the garden. The preserves were ruined within months. NThe changes of temperature caused condensation within the chest. Disaster. The visitor at the weekend had been syoring her preserves in a cold damp cellar.
Homemade preserves need to be stored in a cool, dry environmet (ours are now kept in boxes in the spare bedroom, it’s not particularly warm in there but it is dry). Supermarket preserves are “canned”. If you do this the jars of preserves will last for ages but I think that the boiling affects the flavour. Canning is very big in America.
I do hope that this helps.
Many Thanks for your help, i will try storing in the bedroom next time. i’ve been trawling through the net and most places say to put the lids on the jam straight away while hot, whereas the article i read said to let it cool first, will use the hot method next time. great site gives me hours of pleasure. x
Hi Louisa,
I would definitely use the hot method for sealing your jars next time. Our spare bedroom is cool and dry.
So pleased that you are enjoying the site!
I cannot come to terms with the metric measures could you please put in brackets what it is in plain English ( at 74yrs I think I am to old to learn metric) as for the jam jars I put mine in the dishwasher and then heat them up in the microwave oven.I have yet to try Crab-apple Jelly any tips ?
Hello A Beadling,
I have put the conversions on the recipe for you. There is a very good site that does the conversions for you http://www.dianasdesserts.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/tools.measures/Measures.cfm
which could be useful in the future for you.
Thanks for the tip on jars. We have a crabapple jelly recipe here http://www.cottagesmallholder.com/?p=470
The conversion table is brilliant it will make life a lot easier, Thank You
Alan Beadling
Hello Alan,
So pleased that it will be useful!
i want a quick recepie for damson perserves with out apples just damsons thanks
Hello Melva
So sorry not to have responded before now.
We have several damson recipes on this site. Just type ‘damson’ in the search box at the top of the page.
Hi I am making the jam now do I weigh the sieived stuff to find out how much sugar to add or the stuff that is left in the seive thanks
Hi Dawn
Discard the stuff in the sieve. Match the weight of the sieved stuff with the weight of the sugar.
After last years strawberry setting disaster I wasn’t sure whether I was going to get the blackberries to set but Excellent recipe, very easy to make, sets beautifully and tastes great! thank you.
hi,
just found and made easiest (blackberry) jam recipe ever
- one pound blackberries, half pound brown suger.
-bring to boil, stirring and mashing, simmer for about an hour
-put in sterilized jars, keep in fridge.
( a bit runny , make small jars and freeze or give away)
Hi Cora
Thanks for sharing this recipe. Much apreciated!
Hi,
Thanks for the recipe. First time ever making jam, after taking the loudest team of pickers out on a blackberry hunt. Handy when it means the dog gets a walk as well. Was a bit worried by the amount of time had to boil the jam for, as it didn’t seem to want to set. I think this is maybe due to lack of apples in the mix. It has set very well now though. I could have done with double the amount of jars I had though. Now have several bowls of jam sat in the kitchen. I’m sure it won’t be there for long when the pickers want toast in the morning!
Steve
Hi Jammy dodgers, I am about to make some Blackberry and Apple jelly for the first time, not being one to waste anything good i wondered is it possible to use the pulp minus any apple pips or cores to make a tart or pie with it?, if so what will i have to add to it please.
Bob. BATH.
Hi Bob
You could make a pie or a tart with the pulp – add sugar to taste.
Even better, you could make blackberry and apple cheese see this recipe for pointers http://www.cottagesmallholder.com/?p=467
bit confused by the original recipe, because 1kg is a LOT more than 1lb 3 ozs. Which is correct?
Just been picking for a short while and got 2.6 kg of blackberries; it’s going to be a great year for blackberries.
Hi Pam
Sorry. I maust have got in a muddle with the conversion. It’s a kilo of blakberries to 350g of apples. I’ve updated the recipe.
Just to pass on a tip. I use dishwasher-clean jars half-full of cold water which I tip out just before ladling in the boiling-hot jam right to the brim (little or no air space). Then I screw on the lid, overturn the jar and leave it like that for about 30 mins. For some reason the cold water prevents the jars from cracking (tried and tested with other things) while the hot jam does the sterilising. As an added precaution, I then put the jars into a pan of cold water (two-thirds of the way up), bring to the boil and simmer for about 20 mins. When everything has gone cold, I remove the jars, dry and label them. The jam keeps for years with no problem.
Hi Pat
Thanks for the tip!
Thank you for the recipe. Lovely jam! We went out blackberry picking on Monday evening, picked a whopping 2.2kg of berries, and then made the jam (it was a long night).
I wasn’t quite sure how much water to add – it was about a litre for the weight of berries (was that too much?) Still, the jam set well, and was quite nice with new potatoes as well as delicious on toast!
Louisa asked about sealing. After washing and sterilising the jars and lids, fill jars to the brim and apply lids immediately (don’t apply wax disks as well as lids). The liquid will shrink as it cools, creating a vaccuum.
I live 11 miles outside Birmingham, hardly a rural area, and this evening, my 10 year old daughter and I decided to go out to our local park where we picked half a kilo of blackberries in the rain. We picked up some cheap British apples at our local Lidl on the way home and we set about making jam to your recipe. Obviously we had to reduce all the quantities accordingly, and we spent the next hour or so messing about in the kitchen. I have made damson jam many times with great success and my daughter adores it, but I wasn’t sure what luck we would have with this recipe.
Well we had a little trouble because I added too much water, I had to boil the jam for quite a while to reduce it down, and I had to make an educated guess at the amount of sugar as a result. We only managed to make one jar with our booty, but what a taste! We have all tried the blackberry and apple jelly on a piece of buttered crusty bread and we are in agreement that it is the best jam we have ever tasted, so sharp and fruity, better by miles than anything that you could buy in a shop. Also it is so easy to make, particularly now I am familiar with the method.
Who would have thought that four ingredients would make such an enjoyable preserve? Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, I have printed it off and pinned it to my noticeboard with my other favourites.
I’m sure that my daughter will cherish this as one of her childhood memories – trudging through the mud with her nutcase of a dad on a wet September evening to pick blackberries and just a short while later tasting such a delightful jam!
What could be nicer?
Just realised through reading other users comments that it was the weight of the sieved pulp I should have used for calculating the amount of sugar! Oh well,fortunately I guessed about right, but next time (and there will definitely be a next time) I’ll know better.
Thanks again.
I’m intrigued by your aunt’s labour-saving recipe, though we like out jam chunky rather than puréed. Here’s two more tipes from friends. 1) Let the prepared fruit, sugar and any water sit overnight before making the jam, it softens up hard fruit like apples and pears in advance, so less cooking. 2)For little or no stirring, put the water into the preserving pan first, then the sugar, then the fruit; when the froth billows, just flatter it down with a wooden spoon and cook on. Plus, I always add at least half a squeezed lemon while I’m preparing fruit, if only to preserve the original colour. I’m also a great believer in freezing fruit. Not only does it relieve the toil in a glut, but you can make interesting combinations with stuff that doesn’t ripen at the same time!
I’ve made blackberry and apple jelly several times (wild blackberries and crab apples from a tree in my garden). An interesting variation is to add a handful of elderberries as well – this gives a quite unique and delicious flavour. As the elderberries are quite strong, don’t use too many. I would suggest no more than one fifth of the weight of the blackberries.
As I have both blackberries and apples in the garden (and lots of empty jam jars) I Googled for a jam recipe and found yours.
One thing puzzles me. After weighing the pulp to determine the amount of sugar required, you say ‘Put pulp and sugar into a large heavy bottome saucepan . .’
I thought the pulp was discarded?
Hello Hedley
Apologies I meant sieved pulp. I’ve updated the recipe! You also weigh the sieved pulp to determine the amount of sugar.
Hello,
I have just made your jam, it was the first time I made jam and it came out lovely, not too sweet, just the way I like it.
Thank you so much, I will be making it again and also trying a little elderberries in there too.
Can you tell me if I can use apples with any fruits to make jam? I have a few bags of chopped rhubarb in my freezer and a friend who has a massive cooking apple tree, who supplies me with apples every week this time of year, and I would like to use up this fruit too?
my fiance’s mum brought us some apples off her tree so we took the kids and picked some blackberries while searching for crumble recipies we found this one for jam ! i always thought it was hard to make jam ! but thanks to you we have made our first batch ov apple and blacberry jam and the best bit is no pips thank-you love tracey,chris and the kids xx
Loved to see your recipe. A lot of those old recipes are lost. My mother used to make this jam when we were young. We spent weeks picking blackberries and I still make it to her original recipe (same as yours). For setting I add some unripe berries too. I even included rasberries in my jelly last year and adds a lovely flavour. Can you freeze this jelly as I have made a lot this year and don’t want it going to waste. What’s your experience with freezing jams!
First attempt at jam making and got the bug. Me and Hubby had a little production line going, really enjoyed it and really sucessful. Thanks for recipe. Anyone any ideas to how long it keeps??? How long until we can eat it???
Hi Joanne,
I made the jam a couple of weeks ago, I don’t know how long it lasts, but as for eating it, we ate it straight away and are on our 2nd jar already!
Enjoy!
i have a large slow cooker. this is excellent for leaving on overnight with apples & blackberries to slowly soften & releasing the pectin, for the jam making the following day.
labour saving & economical on the electricity,as a slow cooker uses up the same amount of electricity as a light bulb.
you do still need to boil it up, my method speeds things up a little
any tips for sieving the fruit? i find it time consuming.
i have tried putting blackberries through my electric juicer, gets rid of the seeds perfectly, you are left with just thick runny pulp. need lots of berries though as part of the pulp is thrown away, though i do put the discarded pulp through the juicer a second time to get out all i can.
works quite well, nice seed free jam.
my tip;
i use powder citric acid if setting is becoming a problem. i use my own judgement on the amount a little at a time [usually 1/4 tsp at a time] cook it up,wait see what happens adding more if needed. i find lemon juice has to be evaporated away to ensure setting,using powder citric acid solves this.
I’ve just made a batch of this jam. I have the cramp in my arms to prove (thanks to the sieving!) But it turned out beautifully in the end. Am waiting for it to cool and then will enjoy tucking in!
PS – I added juice of half a lemon to mine.
Hello, I made your recipe yesterday and I don’t think it has turned out successful. It has not set. Its more like a spread. I cooked the blackberries & apples until soft and then I used a blender stick to puree the mix, put it through a sieve and measured the pulp/juice. My weight came to 3lbs 14ozs so I added the same in sugar. Boiled it for at least 15mins. Where did I go wrong?
I made your jam yesterday and it has set to thick and isn’t spreadable. Can I reheat with a bit of water and rejar? Also what happens if I double/triple the quantities, I read somewhere (not on your site) that doubling recipe makes it hard to set? I have nearly 200ozs of blackberries to make into jam so it will take ages in single batches!!?
Hi Natasha
You can reboil your jam – the method is here http://www.cottagesmallholder.com/?p=514
If you double the quantities is makes the process much harder (getting the right set etc). Why not freeze some blackberries and make jam every now and then when you have more time?
hi just a question about sieving the blackberries. l have used them when making rhubarb/blackberry jam which l used blackberries from freezer no pips.
could the ones my husband picked were seedless? anyway is it neccessary to pulp.
Hello,
I’ve made jelly, using the recipe above, but extracting the juice using a juicer-steamer. I used equal volumes of sugar and juice (using sugar with added pectin). I boiled the juice for around 15-20 minutes.
However the jelly has not set. What can I do now? Can I do anything to salvage the jelly? Fiona
Hello Fiona
I’ve never used a juice extractor and have no idea about the pectin content of the juice that they produce!
Keep on boiling. The jelly will set eventually!
Hello,
Thanks for the advice, will have another go today- also going to have a try with the rosehip and apple jelly- sounds delicious!
Thanks Fiona
Hi, I have made this jam and it turned out realy well. We have just finished the first jar and when I went to open the next one to my horror I found that it had gone mouldy on the top as had all of the other jars. Is there anything I can do about this? Would it work if I scraped the mould off the top, reboiled it and then put it into new jars? or am I going to have to throw it all away? I think that I went worng by not filling the jars to the top and I put the lids on when the jam had gone cold and not when it was boiling hot. Any advice would be grateful as it is was first time making jam and i’m feeling disheartened now!
Hi Fiona McGuckin
Hope that it worked for you!
Hi Sarah
Making jam and bottling it cold spells disaster.
You need to bottle and seal it immediately in hot sterilised jars. Then it will keep.
There is a possible way around your problem. Remove the mould very carefully, using a clean sterilised spoon. Wipe the space between the jam and the top of the jar with sterile kitchen roll. A new piece for each jar. Then remove the next layer of jam (an inch to be safe to be rid of the mould spores). Heat to bubbling point. Leave to boil for a few minutes and pot into hot sterile jars and seal immediately.
Just wondering why you didn’t do this first time? Your reboiled jam won’t be as good as the first batch might have been. You can play with the ingredients but not the method.
Thanks for this. I’m not sure why I didn’t put the lids on straight away but you can be sure I will do in the future. I am going to try reboiling the jam to see if that works, can’t bring myself to throw it all away!
A lovely way of getting extra fun out of walking the dog – which I love to do- is take a carrier bag or two and see what I can find in the hedgerows. The recipes here look great and I intend now that I am recently retired to spend a lot more time make produce from hedgerows etc. Thank you so much for your generosity of spirit in putting these recipes on the web for us all to use.
hi
i make a lots of jam (mainly apricot and raspberry as they are my fav)i have been given some blackberries so thought i would try your recipe. i am just wondering if it would taste ok with cooking apples as i have some falling off my tree at the moment.
Hi Nikki
I always use cooking apples for mine.
just wanted to say thanks for the great recipe. i made this and then used the left over pulp with the seeds to make jam also.
it was so popular we are on the second jar already!
Re: the sterilising
160C is about Gas Mark 3 for those with gas.
Hello Kev
Thanks for that.
Hello! I am just about to try this recipe also. Can’t wait! Nikki said she also made jam with the left over pulp with seeds in. What would be the recipe for this, does it come out well?
Thanks!
Trish
Also – can I use preserving suger – willit still work? I used preserving sugar last year and I’m worried that if I use normal sugar it wont set?
Thanks again!
Trish
Hi Trish
I’ve not made more jam from the pulp and seeds so can’t help you on that front.
You can use preserving sugar but this can give the jam a nasty taste. It will set if you use ordinary granulated sugar. Just make sure that you only just cover the fruit with water during the first stage and simmer it gently.
I am a novice jam maker (well,never made it before actually!), but here in Cornwall the glut of blackberries has tempted me to already make crumble, ice-cream and we’ve picked 2lb again today so I’d like to make Jam. However, the ‘mold’ issues worry me a little – I’d ideally like to freeze the berries and make the jam nearer Christmas for presents from my son to family. A silly question, but I’m not sure – should I was the berries before I freeze them, or after they’ve defrosted??? I’m sure I should wash them before, but should they be thoroughly dried before freezing????Does any liquid cause problems when they are frozen?? I cook savoury dishes very well, but when it comes to desserts/jams I can be clueless!!! Thanks!!! Lovely reading by the way!
Hi, I am a jam making virgin and made my first batch this weekend using your recipe, it made 3 jars is that about right or should I have worked the pulp more! or perhaps I boiled too long! Jo
Hi Michelle
I soak my blackberries in a mild saline solution to kill any bugs and then rinse them thoroughly and freeze. I wouldn’t worry about them being wet or dry.
Hi Joanne
How big were the jars? I would expect to get about five medium sized jars from this recipe.
Hello – thank you so much for replying so quickly, I will use normal sugar, looking forward to doing this tonight.
One more thing – could I use pears for apples, would it still work? I found a pear tree, although I dont think the pears I picked are fully ripe, they are quite hard (I don’t know what wild pears are meant to be like though!)
Thanks!
Trish
I have just made my first batch of the year from this season’s glut of blackberries, and used some apples from an abandoned orchard.
Great colour, texture and flavour, I did however use 25%less sugar than the recipe, to keep that tangy fruity flavour – excellent!
Made this jam today, it is absolutly beatiful thankyou so much for the recipe !!
Regards
vicky
I made this jam today too – so quick to make, I was stunned! I did 3 batches in one go (got 28 190ml jars from 3kg blackberries which I am most pleased with) in seperate pans – 1 set, the other 2 did set but stayed a little runny (more water in those I think) which I think is ok. Anyway it’s delicious both ways!
Next, belgian pears, pear and lemon jam, and soon, rosehip and apple – I really can’t wait,
Thank you,
Trish
My husband and I just spent the afternoon on the Hackney Marshes picking and this evening we (ok, mostly he) have just made jam from your recipe- it has set and tastes beautiful! We added just a bit of lemon juice as well, and can wait to eat it! (literally, as we have just had some…) Thank you!
i am only 13 and my job for the holiday is to get rid of all our apples on our tree so i decided to make some jam.i am just about to pick some blackberries to make this recipe. sounds great! makin some plum jam next weekend. have you got a recipe for that?? xx
Hi Trish
You could use a few pears instead of apples but they can be very tasteless in jam so I’d stick to apples if I was you.
Hi Douglas
I might try your version with less sugar next time. Thanks.
Hi Vicky
Delighted that you liked the recipe.
Hi Trish
This is brilliant news! Preserving needn’t be a palaver!
Hi Rosie
The lemon juice is a good idea as it would enhance the flavours. Thanks for the tip.
Hello Ruth
Thanks for dropping by. Yes we have a good plum jam recipe here http://www.cottagesmallholder.com/?p=38
The second recipe is the best one, I think.
Good luck.
Do I have to defrost the blackberries before I make the jam ??
Hi Elaine
That would be best. If you spread them out on a plate it would only take half an hour to deefrost them whilst you prepare your other ingredients.
Thanks for such a speedy reply
also what does the lemon juice do to the jam, & hom much ? 
What is your opinion on making jam in the microwave ??, as i have seen it in other recipes & it seems a lot quicker !
Hi Elaine
Lemon juice enhances the flavours and helps the jam to set. I use a half to a whole lemon depending on the size of lemon.
Hi Elaine (again!)
We don’t have a microwave. The Penultiment Pararmour’s brother was a Professor of Food. Amd he put me off.
So I have no idea about microwave recipes.
I used to make jam in the microwave when I had one. It works really well, and is handy when you only have a small quantity of fruit. I had a Good Housekeeping microwave book that had some recipes in it.
Hi Veronica
Thanks for that!
Would ‘squeezy’ lemon juice do ?
Hi Elaine
I don’t see why not.
Ive got a lot of juice with my apple & blackberry mixture is that ok, & does that go into the pan ????
Hi Elaine
No the juice doesn’t go into the pan – just the sugar and the seived pulp.
Ive just made my blackberry & apple jelly, & I did put a bit of the juice in great results allthough a little bit too much sugar, but you can still taste the blackberry & apple, & it set really well. Thanks so much for your advice as I was a novice jam/preserve maker. Because I have carpol tunnel syndrome my hands & wrists seize up during the sieving process may just peel, core & de-seed the apples next time then puree & sieve (not too much effort there !!) would this work ??. Again many thanks for your advice, I,ll be back for more !!
Elaine, rather than sieving, if you get some muslin,cut a generous 12″ or so square out, pour boiling water over it to sterilize it. Then place your sieve over the top of a bowl or the saucepan you are going to use to boil the jam.Lay the muslin over the sieve, so it drapes over the sides. Put your cooked fruit into the muslin in the sieve, the juice will drip out into the bowl/pan below.If you mash it up with a potato masher before you sieve it, even better. Once most of the juice is out, gather up the muslin edges and tie it into a ‘pudding’ shape with some string then hang that from something like a cupboard handle above the bowl/saucepan on your kitchen worktop, leave it over night. All the rest of the juice will drip out and you need do no squeezing.
What fantastic jam!
I have just finished making a batch of this with my 5 year old and my 3 year old, the first jam I’ve ever made!
We picked the berries this afternoon, loads of squidgy ones and bits of bramble got in, but it didn’t matter, I didn’t even weigh the fruit, just guessed and threw a couple of roughly chopped apples in, cores and all.
After a simmer, push through a sieve and rapid boil with loads of sugar, the children and I were eating it before it had even cooled!
It is absolutely “Yummy”, my 3 year old was amazed we could have made it from berries she picked from a bush!
Aren’t innocence and first experiences just great!
Thank you!
Hi Elaine
Pureeing the cooked fruit and then sieving should work, you may need a bit more lemon juice to help with the set.
You can taste the fruit and sugar mixture and add more lemon juice if it’s too sweet before bringing the fruit to the boil.
Thanks for your feedback.
Hello Kate (uk)
Thanks a lot for this method. I use the sieve method but hanging the muslin from a cupboard door is a new one for me!
Hello Fran
This is just the sort of feedback that makes my day. Making preserves can be such fun, especially if children are involved.
Hi there. I have been given a huge bag of apples and would love to turn them into jam – I am not in a position to do this right now so can I freeze them and use them later? How should I go about doing this and would I need to make any changes to the recipe? Many thanks for such a great service!!
Hi Karen
Yes you can freeze the apples until later there are loads of different ways to do this.
See here for appropriate advice
http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Food-and-Drink/Question446682.html
If you want to use them all for this recipe, you don’t need to peel them, just core them.
[...] just that little bit further, but still keep it sounding classically British sounding, then I would go for the Blackberry & Apple jam that’s featured on The Cottage Smallholder. Like a little jar of autumn in a jar. Although it rather depends on when your show is theough, as [...]
I tried your fabulous recipe for the first time tonight, I usually use the French jam making method (more of a conserve) where you just use fruit and an equal ammount of sugar, but my son isn’t keen on the ‘bits’
Tonights jam is still too hot to try but looks like it is setting nicely and is the most beautiful colour, I used more quantity, 3lb blackberries and about 1lb apples and made the mistake of using the juice too, so ended up with over 9 jars!!! Hopefully my son will like this one, thanks for sharing it
Trish x
Can’t wait to make this recipe this weekend, a very lovely colleague of mine appeared at work the other day with just over 4lbs of blackberries bless him. I just about managed to fit them in the freezer till I’m ready to make the jam! I’m just off to pick some apples from the trees on the army base I work on, I love free food!
Loved kate’s tip on hanging from the cupboard handle, genius.
[...] used this recipe for the blackberry apple jam. We did not add as much sugar as it called for, but rather added it [...]
I MADE THIS JAM LAST WEEK AND HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PRAISE. IT IS SUCH A LOVELY JAM THAT I HAVE TO MAKE MORE AND WILL SELL IT TO ALL MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY. THANKS FOR THIS LOVELY RECEIPE.
I USED EVERYTHING EVEN THE JUICE AND SEIVED FRUIT AND WEIGHED SUGAR TO EQUAL AMOUNTS. WAS I NOT SUPPOSED TO USE THE JUICE? ANYWAY IT CAME OUT LOVELY.
Made this jam last night, the sieving was hard going, and I kept thinking that I had gone wrong somewhere, but it was well worth the effort. It really is the best. I used Jam sugar, which made it reach setting point just as it started to boil, thought it might be a bit too firm at first and started to wish I had used granulated, but it’s just perfect.
Thank you for such a fab site
I don’t understand previous contributers sugestions that you should not use the juice.Thats where all the flavour is and if you wanted to use just the pulp which would be very dry however would you separate the pulp from the juice from the pips.Made some tonight its still hot but tastes wonderful.Probably spent the best part of 2 hours pushing the pulp through the only sieve we have but I think the effort is going to be worth it
Hi there!
I found this recipe yesterday and went out ‘foraging’ for blackberries this morning but only found a few handfuls – maybe it’s too late in year or something has beaten me to it!
However I got loads of elderberries, 2.5lb to be exact. Can I substitute the blackberries for elderberries in this recipe?
Thanks! Helen x
Hi Helen
I think that you can probably use elderberries. You’d need more sugar – I’d add it incremetally a heaped tablespoon at a time, tasting as you go before boiling it up.
I’d be interested to hear how you get on.
Great thanks for replying so soon! Just cooking up a batch of Fig Chutney then I’ll have a go – I’ll let you know how it turns out
love this site some really good recipes on here that i cant wait to try i am making gifts for xmas this year and this is my first time making jam i picked 2lb of blackberries today and washed and de maggoted them and have frozen unless i pick some more, but i was wondering how many jars or amount dose ur recipe make so i no how many more blackberries i need
Hi Bryony
I think that this recipe makes about four or five 450g jars. Remember to store them somewhere cool and dry. You have enough blackberries to make this recipe. If you haven’t made jam before don’t double the recipe as you might have problems with the setting. Best to make several batches.
Hope this helps.
thanks thats grate i could do with a few more lb of blackberries still to make enough iv put them in 1lbs in the freezer ready to make the first batch can u recommend any other easy jam recipes for the newbies
and what do you do with the juice thats left?
thanks for the help
I am confused, I have just followed the recipe and having pushed the boiled fruit through the sieve I am left with a liquid not a pulp, cant be weighed so I will make a jelly and do something else with the mushy stuff left over. Is my sieve too fine a mesh? where did it all go wrong?
Thanks
Hi Bryony
The second plum jam in this article is very easy
http://www.cottagesmallholder.com/two-wild-plum-jam-recipes-38
Hi Ian
You didn’t go wrong. Put a bowl on a weighing machine and check the weight then pour in your liquid and subtract the weight of the bowl from the overall weight.
Thanks for the swift reply, after posting my response I started to follow a recipe for blackberry jelly using 75g of sugar to every 100ml of liquid and as I had 1.8 litres of liquid (I doubled the amounts as I had loads of berries but then saw that you shouldn’t do that,) I weighed all the sugar out but stopped pouring it in as it seemed too much, it didn’t set (I put it in jars anyway)and it seems too sweet there’s jam all up the walls and my wife is a bit angry but I will clear up the big mess all in all not so successful but I will try again and put this one down to experience. thanks ps why does doubling the amounts make setting a problem?
Hi Ian
Unless you are a really experienced jam maker doubling the amounts increases the setting time. After making jam regularly you get a feel for how the fruit looks when it is coming to setting point. I always make my preserves in small batches since I had to wait for nine hours to get some chutney to thicken
Adding the juice of half a lemon to the recipe ammount of fruit would help with the setting and the sweetness.
Hello Fiona
Since first trying this recipe in 2007, I have been desperate to make the jam again as it was so delicious. I am very happy to tell you that on Saturday my husband and I made 50lb of this jam from the 19lbs of blackberries I had harvested from our 1.5 acre ‘wild’ garden. It’s such an easy recipe – though sieving that amount of fruit has given me shoulder muscles like an American footballer!!!
Thanks for this great recipe. I also made a litre of your rosehip syrup and have a bottle of sloe gin pickling away!
Hello Virginia
Wow 50lbs of jam! I’ve started to use the mouli/food mill much more for processing as the seive was driving me nuts.
I’m going for rosehip tea (dried rosehips) this year and will post about it soon.
Busy making Autumn raspberry gin atm.
Hi we had frozen blackberries and wild damsons from foraging in the autumn. Made jam for the first time this weekend and it looks and tastes beautiful. thank you for the recipes.
[...] used this recipe for the blackberry apple jam. We did not add as much sugar as it called for, but rather added it [...]
From late 1950′s well into the 1980′s I seen my mother making blackberry jam with the addition of a few crabapples (high in pectin and great for setting) It was absolutely delicious.
Hi Liam
I’ve not tried blackberry jam so will give it a go this summer. I also have access to a crabapple tree! Thank you.
I don’t know why someone mentioned the muslin drip method. This method is used for making jelly not jam. It is meant to be sieved to remove the pips, we are making jam not jelly. Yes?
What sort of seive would you advice? I only have small nylon ones.
When is the best time to pick blackberries? August? I know after September they go too acidic apparently and are no good. What apples are best. I need to buy them, so should i go for cooking apples?
Thanks
Hi Sally
When I made this recipe I used an ordinary nylon sieve to get rid of the pips.
I also used a mixture of cookers and eaters as that is what we have growing in the garden.
In addition I continued to pick the blackberries well into October and my 19lbs of blackberries made 50 jars of beautiful jam which we are still eating! I didn’t know anything about not picking after September and the jam (correct – not jelly!!) worked out very well – ignorance is bliss obviously!!!
Hope that helps,
Virginia
Thanks for the reply Virginia
I’ve never made jam before, but every year i see many blackberries in the hedgerow just walking the dog around the housing estate. I have however, discovered a better supply that grow away from the roads. I need to see how they are doing. Also whenever i see the rosehips in the Autumn, i keep thinking of all the goodness in them going to waste, so i also plan to make the rosehip syrup.
My mum used to make mint and apple jelly, which tasted wonderful on Roast dinner, so that is another receipe i want to make. I have not searched your site yet to see if you have a receipe for that.
Anyway, I’ve just order a Maslin pan and a stainless steel funnel, and a jellybag for when i make jelly. I just need to sort some jars out and i’ll be ready. I’m also really interested in making Elderberry syrup, but some kinds are not edible and i don’t really know what type i’m supposed to use or where to find some for free.
Great site!
Ps. some say to add water half way up the fruit in pan, the receipe says to just cover. ?
Thanks
HI Sally,
I didnt mean to mislead you – the site is not mine – I just use it for the excellent recipes and advice. I saw your comment and thought I would give you my experiences as I have made this recipe twice. The site belongs to Fiona Nevile (fn) – hope I haven’t caused too much confusion – sorry!!
Btw I have also made Fiona’s rosehip syrup as like you I hated seeing the hips going to waste. It was delicious too.
Good luck.
Virginia
[...] Links Recipes4us.co.uk Channel 4 The cottage small holder [...]
Thanks for the recipe. Adapted it myself (a little) and was delicious. Anyone want to see my version then check out the below link to my allotment blog http://alotmeant.wordpress.com/2010/08/14/blackcurrant-and-apple-jam-recip/
Im trying this recipe now, fingers crossed! After weighing the seived mix i had a little over 2lbs so i added a small amount of sugar and some boiling water to the extra and froze it as Ice lollies! Waste not, want not and all that!
I made this jam exactly to your recipe. I had to buy the blackberries as there is none locally. I think it turned out fantastic and tastes good. The only question i have is that i squeezed most of the pulp through the sieve, should i not have done that?
Hi Bridget
Yes you are right – squeeze as much pulp as you can through the sieve
Hi
Thanks for such a fantastic site. Moved from a city flat to a neglected farmhouse in June with half an overgrown acre of land. Have made your elderflower cordial, greengage and plum jams and have just picked the first batch of brambles from the hedge and made the bramble and apple jam, I’ve never made jam before and all the recipes have turned out brilliantly. Thank you! Rosehips next……
Claire
Hi from Co. Kerry, Southern Ireland,
It’s that time of year again and once again the blackberry crop is incredible. Have just made some jelly using preserving sugar, lemons and apples, half the time and great result. I sterilise my jars by putting in microwave with a little water in jar and giving them enough time to boil up. One thing I did discover was that you can freeze jelly in the jar and the jar doesn’t crack,leave to thaw overnight,
unlike the time I tried it with homemade soup – not a good idea! Jelly kept beautifully for over a year, far better than any other method of keeping including putting brandy on top (great taste though!)
Love the site and thank you.
Thanks for posting this recipe. I made a similar one a couple of years ago, by adapting a recipe i found in one of my Mum’s old recipe books, but you know what it’s like you never write the good ones down and since I couldn’t remember my quanities of apples to blackberries, your recipe has extremely helped. I’m just waiting for it too cool and I’ll make some plain scones and whip up some cream – yummmmmmyyyyy!!!Mind you my daughter & I have cleaned the pan out lol.
Although I never have a problem making blackberry and apple jam, I have tried for the last 2 summers to do strawberry jam and end up burning it when trying to reach setting point, I even bought a jam thermometer this year and the same thing happened. Do you have a fool proof strawbeery jam recipe that I can keep for this next year, thanks Michelle x
Hello Michelle
I’m sorry but I don’t have a strawberry jam recipe yet. perhaps I’ll get a better crop next year and then I’ll give it a go.
I tried making jam with a jam thermometer and it was a disaster. The point marked JAM was a far too higher temperature – I find that testing for set when it reches 102 degrees has been a better route.
Hi, I’ve just picked about 3.5kg of blackberries which I have now frozen. I’ve never before made jam but want to have a go at your blackberry and apple jam recipe. My aunty uses jam sugar to make her strawbery and raspberry jam but I’ve noticed that you don’t suggest jam sugar, so is it OK just to use normal sugar?
Many thanks, Claire.
Hi Claire
If you use normal granulated sugar it will taste much better!
Omnomnom… Just finished ‘cleaning’ the pan up
The blackberry crop is great again here in the Pennines, too. I’ve bagged 3kg of ‘heiferfall’ from an apple tree down the road which has been vandalised by a herd of hungry young jerseys!
I’ve never made jam before, but this seemed like the ideal time. Your aunt’s recipe is wonderful – if a little sweet for my taste, but lovely all the same – thank you for sharing it!
Hi, Many thanks for the tip re normal granulated sugar. I made the jam yesterday and it didn’t turn out too bad but I probably boiled it too long as it’s very firm – I prefer jam to be a bit runny. But I was pleased with my first ever attempt at jam-making. Thanks for the recipe. I’ve got loads of blackberries left so I’ll make some more when this batch has been eaten. Should the jars be kept in the fridge?
Hi Claire
You can reboil the jam and add more water if you’d like it to be a bit more runny see my post http://www.cottagesmallholder.com/jelly-set-too-hard-514
The jam will keep for ages in a dry, darkish place. Only store in the fridge once it is opened.
Hi i was just thinking about using this recipe for apple and blackberry jam and altough this might be a silly question do you use the juice (created from the water which is used to cover the fruit inially) as well as the sieved pulp? When calculating the ammount of sugar to use is it the combined weight of the juice and the pulp which gives the weight for the sugar required?
Hi Sue
There will be very little juice but you add it to the sieved pulp. Yes the combined weight of the seived juice and pulp gives the weight for the sugar required.
Hi
Have just started making the jam and the water used to cover the fruit seems to have made quite a lot of liquid do I get rid of this and just use the sieved pulp which i have now collected.
Hi Sue
Use the pulp and the water!
Hi
Just wondering if using 1 lb of sugar to 1 pint of pulp would give good results, as weighing the watery pulp is a bit tricky given my dodgy scales…..
Hi, just browsed the blackberry jam recipes. Jam’s nice, but blackberry jelly is nicer – no pips! Put berries in a pan and just cover with water. Bring to the boil and then strain the juice through a fine sieve into a measuring jug. Add 14 oz gran sugar to each pint of juice. Boil until set (when a drop of juice on a fridge-cold saucer wrinkles, it’s ready). Pot whilst piping hot, fill jars to the very top. Will keep indefinitely in a cool dark place. Once opened, keep in the fridge. Yours, a WI Jam Judge!
Hi everyone, am new to this site, I was given some huge bramleys last week, I don’t live close to any foraging places, and wanted to make this jam, imagine my surprise and delight when in my large branch of Tescos yesterday don’t know if I am allowed to mention them or not, but they were selling large punnets of huge Hampshire blackberries for a promotional price of £1 instead of 2.99, absolutely made my day, there were loads and loads of them.
Made this jam yesterday, did a double batch and it came out wonderfully so thanks for the recipe!
Was worried I’d boiled it too long but it seemed good on my toast this morning
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/37724971@N03/5014995800/][img]http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4147/5014995800_08d3ce4824_b.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/37724971@N03/5014995800/]Apple & Blackberry Jam 2[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/37724971@N03/]Willow_Warren[/url], on Flickr
I have to say that your recipes all work a treat. And today I went foraging for rosehips to make your rosehip and apple jelly over the next three evenings
Just a quick question on this recipe above: When sieving the pulp through, does one also sieve the water (the water which was cooking the apple and blackberry I mean) or only the pulp? Thanks in advance
I’m not sure I understand the confusion here, but someone will correct me if I’m wrong – I made this jam last night and after boiling up the fruit in water, sieved the whole contents of the pan and made jam with whattever came out the bottom. Correct? Clearer?
Hi Puffin – absolutely spot on!
Hi Stephi
Use the sieved water and pulp
hello
am making this jam right now…….
and was wondering
how long does it take for the fruit to go soft?
i’ve been simmering for nearly an hour and the apple is still attached to the skin which makes me think it will be difficult to sieve?!!
thank you
lindsay
Hi Lindsay
It shouldn’t take much more time. The apple will go ‘puffy’ when it’s ready.
Could you use a stick blender before you sieve, to try and get all the juices from the fruit?
Hi Neil
If you used a stick blender it would break up the pips and these would go through the sieve. When you sieve or mouli (the latter is quicker and better I reckon) juice is extracted too.
Darn it, another male idea shot down,
Was just a thought, just trying to get every drop from the fruit.
Hi, can I freeze the blackberries and defrost later to make blackberry and apple jelly? as usual,time has run out and the working week is again upon us! managed to find a good lot of berries but no time really to do the jelly till later in the week.
Hi Mrs Costigan
Yes you can freeze balckberries for making jam, jelly, wine and crumbles etc. Sometimes life just steamrollers my plans too.
i had to put in lemon juice to help my jam set, and it took about 25 minutes longer to set – could this be because i used tinned strawberries?
Hi Vicky, maybe the tinned strawberries but thought I would let you know that I cant remember a time when I didn’t put lemon juice into a jam or preserve. I always use what is to hand in the storecupboard, a good thing to improvise, like you did with your tinned fruit.
thanks Judy,
I’m going to try a pumpkin and apple this afternoon using this recipe – my jam is delicious!!!!
The blackberry and apple jam recipe is just the best recipe I have come across – especially since I have been able to pick the blackberries and apples from the roadside! It is my families favourite jam, and never ever lasts long in the cupboard. Had to hide the last jar! Just made a batch with frozen berries, including a few blackberries and raspberries, but mostly blueberries. I added another apple and a dessertspoon of lemon juice – and it has come out a winner – again! Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe.
URGENT HELP! Have just spent about 4 hourse making this recipe with hand picked brambles and shop bought apples. After sieving the mixture i added the suger and boiled rapidly for over an hour, testing for the setting point all the time. Finally i saw a crinkle in the jam so put it in my sterilised jars. They are still hot but the contents seem too runny – will it set further when cool? and what can i do if it hasn’t set enough? my brambles were frozen and i did add some lemon juice but where could i have gone wrong?
Hi Tracy
It will firm up when it gets quite cold. Leave for at least 24 hours before panicking.
It has now set and is truly delicious so thank you for the recipe.
Made this jam yesterday absolutly yum loving the no seeds in it
There seems to be some confusion above about preserving sugar. Preserving sugar is 100% sugar and contains no pectin so I can’t see any reason why the setting point would be reached any quicker with it (as reported by others).
Silverspoon, a company making preserving sugar say, “it’s perfect for making marmalades, jams and preserves using fruits that are naturally high in pectin”, this is the opposite from what other people have suggested here.
we have made jam like this for years, its just about the most popular around this neck of the woods.
To make it easier to sieve the fruit pulp and increase the yield put the pulp into a blender and give it a good thrashing for a minute or two, you will find not only does the pulp go through the sieve easier but the yield is up by 10%. It only took me 28 years to figure this one out but, then of course I am a male.
I have just made this jam this afternoon, with the blackberries from my garden. It’s worked fantastically well, and as it it the first time I have ever made jam, I’m very chuffed. I didn’t use a
sieve, as I used my vitamix, which blends purées very finely, and it’s worked just fine.
Thanks you for fab recipe
Help please! I am literally making this jam right now and I want to know if I use the liquid or just the pulp??
Anybody looking at this now a reply would be gratefully received
Just the liquid!
Good luck, it’s yummy,
Trish
Jaki, use the pulp and liquid but, not the seeds pete.
Ooooh, I’ve just stumbled upon your website and I LOVE IT! I’ve a freezer full of last year’s blackberries and apples so shall give this a go tomorrow! Thanks!
We live in Northwest London and after disturbances and riots of recent days, spent a relaxing afternoon picking blackberries by the canal. We have just made 7 lovely jars of jam and has given us enormous pleasure!Who nees latest trainers; here’s to simple pleasures! Thanks for recipe!
Found this recipe by accident,but have just used it for the 3rd time with hedgerow blackberries(free) windfall apples (free) so, I had to buy the sugar but for a couple of pounds I made 9Lb of delicious jam thankyou.
I discovered this recipe earlier in the year, and I’m just making my third batch with blackberries collected from the wilderness by the allotment. It is really yummy. The berries have been going so well this year, we have enough to keep us and our friend in jam for a good long time!
help i,ve made my jam and have now potted it, but have noticed the kilner jar have all steamed up on the lids,do i when the jam has set open the jars and wipe the lids dry then re seal or leave sealed?
Hi Jules
Leave the jars sealed!
Please help!
I am making jam for my wedding favours but it isnt until April 2012.
We have picked lots of blackberries, would the jam last if I made it now or would you advise freezing the blackberries and making the jam nearer the time?
Hi Jess
I would freeze. The jam made now would be fine but there is nothing like freshly made jam (and the wedding guests might put in in a cupboard for later). Frozen fruit makes great jam equaly good as fresh fruit jam as long as you don’t leave it in the freezer for too long.
Thank you so much for your quick reply.
How long can I freeze them for – we were hoping to make them before christmas perhaps November time would that be ok?
Hi Jess
I reckon that up to six months would be fine.
When I want to print a recipe why do I get 18 pages of comment? It has just cost me most of a new cartridge to print just 1 recipe for Apple and Blackberry Jam. The comments about a recipe may be interesting but who needs to print them off? Please include a note with the recipes that there is likely to be pages that you may not want to print and offer the option not to print out pages of comment!
Hi G Robertson
It’s because you used the print option in Internet Explorer or whatever you are using. If you use the print button on the page beside the article you will just get the article.
Just wanted to say thank you for the recipe and the useful responses in your comments section. I was a bit nervous about making my first batch of jam but it went really well and I’m so pleased with it
I’ve blogged about it and posted a link back to here.
Made my first batch of jam last night with blackberries frozen last year, so far taste lovely and has set fine although I think I simmered rather than boiled. Going to look for a pear recipe now as I have lots of these and don’t want to just stew and freeze although my little one loves that.
Thanks for the wonderful website, Im new to making preserves, first attempt was a wonderful apple chutney which come out excellent, Im now in the process of making this jam and think I may have added too much water, I have about 6lbs of liquid and pulp, should I cook it more to reduce it .. as it does taste a bit watery, I havnt added any sugar yet… must say I got a bit confused and thought Id done it wrong by adding the liquid, but looking at the comments I think I was supposed to add the liquid and pulp, which I have done.
I’m afraid that its far too much water, you may be able to reduce it by simmering but, really you need to put in more blackberry and apple, we recon about the same amount again. You will need to double the sugar of course, do not put any more liquid in it.
When you eventually put in the sugar, rapid boil it until it thickens, if you put a spoonful on a saucer into the fridge for five minutes to see if it sets it will give you some idea, if it does, its done and can be bottled, mind you do not get burnt when stirring it, it may spit
I managed to save it, I reduced it somewhat and it turned of fine, sampled some on toast this morning and its lovely, thanks for the reply
My friend and I made this yesterday. We live in Washington State and I discovered this jam last year while on Holiday in Ireland with my parents. we LOVE it! It turned out super yummy and I have enough to make at least 1-2 more batches. Thanks for the great recipe!!!
This is a great recipe. Made it first last September when we had wonderful blackberries. They haven’t been as good or as plentiful this year – I think it has been too cold bit I’ve managed to gather enough for a batch of blackberry jelly.
Love this site with all the ideas and tips. Thanks.
Hello, I’m a novice jam maker and about to make this jam with wild fruit from the hedgerows around my area. Can I half the ingredients and still follow the same method? Or double them? Also, I haven’t got jars yet, can I use normal supermarket jars i.e. pasta sauce jars?!
Hi Isla
If you are a novice jam maker don’t fiddle about with the recipe. Doubling it would make it 5 x harder/halving it would effect the timings, You can use big jars/tiny jars etc as once the jam is ready it doesn’t mind different sized jars although the smaller jars won’t last as long as the bigger jars.
Hi, thanks for the advice, I am currently making your jam using the recommended quantities. However, after sieving I seem to be left with pretty much just liquid because most of the fruit has not gone through the sieve. It’s super soft, but still won’t go through. Am I using the wrong sieve, or is there a technique I don’t know about?!
Hi Isla
I think that your seive is too fine. Basically the idea is to get rid of the blackberry seeds. I use a mouli these days.
Hi, We have a wedding in June 2012 and hope to make apple and blackberry jam, apple and mint jelly and chutney as favours. I was planning on stewing and making the apple and blackberry pulp then freezing until nearer the time to make the jam as I’m worried that it wont keep well until next June. Also for the Apple/mint jelly was going to stew and strain the apple and mint and freeze the liquid, then make the jelly nearer the time. Will this work with the ingredients having been frozen. Only doing this as I have so many apples right now and I wont have them in May/June next year. Would appreciate anmy advice
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Just read through some of the comments for this recipe and I think there are a couple of people who may be a bit confused – like me about the liquid and pulp bit. If you cook the fruit in a pan and then sieve the fruit to get the seeds out you are left with the pulp which has to be weighed but there is often an amount of liquid left in the pan which seems wrong to waste as it has all the fruit juices in it. Should you add the juice to the pulp and then weigh it or do you just weigh the pulp?
All you discard are the skins and the seeds – you use the juice and the pulp!
Re Freezing jam ingredients
I have read that freezing affects the pectin needed to make the jam set, so you may need to add extra pectin when making your jam, though I cant vouch for this from personal experience. Unfortunately I only read this after making and freezing pectin stock from a glut of crab apples. Does anyone know if its true?
Hi.
Great site!
First ever attempt at quince jelly yesterday here in France. Thought it hadn’t set as plate tests etc, it was still very runny. Abandonned it and let it in pot overnight – thought it might be the altitude as we are over 1800m here in the alps so boiling points are different…hey ho, it has set in the pan!!! what do I do now – can I reheat and then put in jars or will it not reheat and gel again? thanks. D