The Cottage Smallholder

I did wonder about that Val, but have never done it before so wasn't sure where to start. I have added 150g of sugar to the cherries already (layered over till tomorrow) will that still be OK do you think?

I love my big old maslin pan but the smallest amount you can really use in it is about 1kg so my poor little bowl of cherries would get lost in it.

So then, I'll soften the cherries in a pan and then transfer to a deep glass bowl, add the rest of the sugar and lemon juice and cook on high for about how long....my microwave is quite powerful, about 1000w I think. I'll have a look and see if there is a recipe book with it as it may tell me about making jam in it.

What a clever girl you are to think of that, so practical. I thought about it and then it slipped out of my head as quick a it came into it - must be the heat

Thanks Val - what would I do without you lovely people.

xx

Brilliant - thanks Val. I'm looking forward to trying this method now

I'll let you know how it goes, fingers crossed

p.s. yes I have also noticed the bubbling changes and often wondered if that was my stirring too often. I'm paranoid about it sticking to pan and burning. I've only had it catch a couple of times but I always worry even though I know you are meant to leave it alone and not stir too often.

Also have you noticed you get lots more scum if you use jam sugar with the added pectin? I find that odd as I prefer to use the powdered pectin which I add sometimes (mixed in with sugar) and that doesn't create as much scum as the jam sugar - bizarre. I only use it if fruit is hard to set like strawberries, rhubarb and some cherries. I've tried making my own pectin with apple peel and cores etc but it really doesn't seem to work as good as the powder.

Yay – Success

I'm so pleased with my 2 pots of microwave cherry jam – it is really delicious and it was so easy I thought I must be doing something wrong till I realised it was actually setting on the spoon.

It took about 25 mins from start to finish but might not have needed the last 5 mins to be fair. I had to race to get it into the jam jars!

This is a breakthrough for me because we often get small amounts of fruit ripening in the garden and now I don't have to wait or add to them I can just cook small quantities in the MW.

Thanks Val – you are a star for reminding me about this method and helping me to have a go.

Also – virtually no scum  despite using some jam sugar in the mix ( I had run out of granulated so used half and half).

Scones and cherry jam for tea and a big label saying OUR jam  to keep the family from nicking it. That little crop of cherries has made our day.