Peach and Raspberry Jam

Bring a small pan of water to the boil and fill a bowl with iced water. Cut a small cross in the bottom of the peaches with a sharp knife. Use tongs to lower each peach one at a time into the boiling water for 20 seconds, then plunge them into the iced water. The skins should slip off easily; I sometimes just rub them off with a sheet of kitchen paper. Halve them and remove the stones, then cut the peaches into 2cm pieces.

Put the peaches into a preserving pan or a large stainless steel pan and sprinkle on the sugar and the lemon juice. Stir gently, cover and leave to macerate for 4 hours or overnight, stirring a couple of times. Put a couple of saucers into the freezer and prepare some sterilized jars (see TIP below).

Warm the pan over a medium heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved (see TIP below). Add the raspberries, stir, and bring to a strong, rolling boil. Test for a setting point after 8–10 minutes – drop a teaspoon of jam on a chilled saucer, leave for a minute, and then it should wrinkle when you push it with your finger. If it doesn’t, test every 2 minutes until you get a set. Remove the pan from the heat. Skim off any foam and stir in the butter, which will help to dissolve any of the remaining bubbles. Leave to cool for 5 minutes, then stir in the Grand Marnier or Cointreau if you are using it. Ladle the jam into the hot jars – a jam funnel helps.

Fill to the brim and immediately seal with the lids. Turn the jars upside down for a minute – this helps to ensure the lid is sealed – then turn the right way up and leave to cool. When you label the jars, make sure you include the date. The jam will keep for up to a year in a cool, dry place. When opened, keep it in the fridge and use within a month.

TIPS

If you stir the jam and you still see crystals of sugar clinging to the sides of the pan, or the spoon is at all ‘gritty’, keep warming it gently until all the crystals disappear. Then you can bring it to a very brisk boil.

HOW TO STERILIZE JARS

With preserving, hygiene is all. Make sure all your equipment is scrupulously clean and your hands would pass a strict matron’s inspection. Wash the jars in hot, soapy water and rinse them well, or run them through the dishwasher. When you’re almost ready to use them, put them on a tray in a 140°C/120°C fan/gas 1 oven for at least 15 minutes, so they are warm when you add the jam.

Photography: Laura Edwards.