Season: June to October. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, whose recipe this is, thinks the secret of success is to pick the raspberries on a hot, dry day, aiming for a good mixture of ripe and almost-ripe fruit, then to make the jam immediately to capture the full flavor of the berries. The light boiling and lower-than-normal quantity of sugar produce a loose, soft-set jam with a fresh, tangy flavor. Low-sugar jams of this type are often called fridge jams (see p. 36). In fact, as long as it is capped when still above 195°F, this preserve will keep well in the pantry. However, once it is opened, you must keep it in the fridge. It won’t last long after opening – maybe 2 or 3 weeks – but as it tastes so very, very good, this is unlikely to be a problem. It’s one of those things you’ll find yourself eating straight from the jar, maybe in the middle of the night! This light, soft jam is fantastic in cakes or sherry trifles or stirred into creamy rice puddings. Best of all, layer it with toasted rolled oats, cream, Drambuie, and honey for a take on Cranachan, the traditional Scottish dessert.

　　

Ingredients

makes seven 8-ounce jars

　　3 pounds, 6 ounces raspberries

　　3 3/4 cups granulated sugar blended with 1 1/2 teaspoons pectin powder

　　

Step 1

Start by picking over the raspberries very carefully and discarding any leaves or stems. Put half of the fruit into a preserving pan and use a potato masher to coarsely crush it. Add the remaining fruit and sugar (the mixture will look mouthwateringly good).

　　

Step 2

Stir over low heat to dissolve the sugar. Bring to a rolling boil, then boil for exactly 5 minutes. (If you prefer a firmer jam, continue boiling at this stage for a further 2 to 3 minutes.) Remove from the heat, stirring to disperse any scum.

　　

Step 3

It is important to pour and cap this low-sugar jam quickly (see pp. 21–22), but you must allow it to cool just a little first (give it 5 to 6 minutes) to prevent all those little raspberry seeds from rushing to the top of the jar, leaving you with half a jar of raspberry jelly and half a jar of raspberry seeds. Use within 1 year.

　　

VARIATION

Step 4

Flavorful ripe strawberries give very good results with this simple recipe too. Hull the strawberries, halve or quarter larger ones, and continue as above.

　　The River Cottage Preserves Handbook by Pam Corbin.Pam Corbin has been making preserves for as long as she can remember, and for more than twenty years her passion has been her business. Pam and her husband, Hugh, moved to Devon where they bought an old pig farm and converted it into a small jam factory. Using only wholesome, seasonal ingredients, their products soon became firm favorites with jam-lovers the world over. Pam has now hung up her professional wooden spoon but continues to "jam" at home. She also works closely with the River Cottage team, making seasonal goodies using fruit, vegetables, herbs, and flowers from her own garden, and from the fields and hedgerows.