My lovely friends at Duerr's have sent me some of their special edition 'Aphrodisiac Jam' to try this week and asked me if I could come up with something a little loved up to celebrate Valentines Day. 
Showing posts with label jam. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jam. Show all posts
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Valentines Day Jam Tarts recipe
My lovely friends at Duerr's have sent me some of their special edition 'Aphrodisiac Jam' to try this week and asked me if I could come up with something a little loved up to celebrate Valentines Day. Monday, June 03, 2013
Homemade Jammy Biscuits with Duerr's
Hands up who loves Jammy Dodgers?
Even if you don't (are you feeling ok?) you can pretty much guarantee your kids love them!
Manchester based, family owned jam makers Duerr's know a thing or two about jam - they should do, they've been producing it since 1881! Duerr's sent us some yummy jam so we could have a go at our own homemade jammy dodgers - just in time for the half term holiday.
Not that they lasted for the whole holiday, mind you. They barely made it past the first day! It's a good job you can make several batches from one jar of jam...
We used fluted round cookie cutters for the outside and small heart and star cookie cutters to make the cut out shapes (I have sets of circles, hearts, stars and flowers in graduated sizes. We bake lots of cookies...)
The recipe is a basic butter biscuit - you can find it here. Bake a tray of whole biscuits and a tray of 'cut outs'. When they are cool sandwich them together with a blob of strawberry jam and dust the top with icing sugar! A million times scrummier than regular jammy dodgers and pretty impressive to look at too. They would make a great alternative to cupcakes for a kids party!
Don't they look yummy?
Why not pop over to Mrs Duerr's Kitchen for more lovely things to make with jam. I think I may have to try the Victoria Sponge Drops next...
Even if you don't (are you feeling ok?) you can pretty much guarantee your kids love them!
Manchester based, family owned jam makers Duerr's know a thing or two about jam - they should do, they've been producing it since 1881! Duerr's sent us some yummy jam so we could have a go at our own homemade jammy dodgers - just in time for the half term holiday.
Not that they lasted for the whole holiday, mind you. They barely made it past the first day! It's a good job you can make several batches from one jar of jam...
We used fluted round cookie cutters for the outside and small heart and star cookie cutters to make the cut out shapes (I have sets of circles, hearts, stars and flowers in graduated sizes. We bake lots of cookies...)
The recipe is a basic butter biscuit - you can find it here. Bake a tray of whole biscuits and a tray of 'cut outs'. When they are cool sandwich them together with a blob of strawberry jam and dust the top with icing sugar! A million times scrummier than regular jammy dodgers and pretty impressive to look at too. They would make a great alternative to cupcakes for a kids party!
Don't they look yummy?
Why not pop over to Mrs Duerr's Kitchen for more lovely things to make with jam. I think I may have to try the Victoria Sponge Drops next...
Monday, September 26, 2011
Jammin'
The other day I made jam. For the very first time.
For some reason it's something I have avoided in the past, partly because of the bewildering array of 'special' utensils listed in my recipe books - jam thermometer, jam funnel, special pans, waxed circles, preserving jars etc etc. Perusing the Lakeland website (my kitchen utensil supplier of choice ) confirmed my suspicions that these things cost money. More than I can afford to shell out for what, at best would be a once or twice yearly activity. I really might just as well go out to the supermarket and just buy a jar or two of jam (good stuff, obviously. The ones with 'extra' on the label somewhere...) So I avoided making jam.
This year, however, I thought 'Sod it! Surely I don't really need all that stuff? I mean how difficult can it be? Really?'
And you know what? It really isn't as mystical as hardcore jammers would have us believe.
There are loads of recipes on the internet but basically you need the same weight of sugar and fruit.
I had 600gms of blackberries and apples (peeled and chopped up small) from my mother-in-law's garden, so used 600gms of sugar. I added a large dash (more of a slosh really...) of lemon juice coz it seemed to be mentioned in at least three of the recipes I looked at. And a slosh of water. I have no idea how much... (sorry thats not very helpful I know, but that's the kind of cook I am )
Bring to the boil gently on the lowest heat you can - this can take quite a while so put some music on and make sure kiddiewinks are occupied. You do have to keep an eye on it and stir it so it doesnt burn/stick! In the meantime put a saucer in the freezer (one of those 'mystical' jam things - will become clear in a bit!) and place your washed jam jars upside down in a warm oven for half an hour to sterilize them (140C/275F/Gas1) If you are making this sort of quantity you will only need one or two - recycle old jam jars rather than buying special 'preserving jars'.
Once the fruit and sugar mix has come to the boil keep it there, stirring pretty much constantly for a good 10 mins or so. To test whether 'setting point' has been reached drop a small amount of the HOT jam on the ice cold saucer you have just fished out of the freezer. If its ready it should set fairly quickly as it cools. If not keep it boiling and try again in 10 mins. When ready, remove from the heat and allow to cool for 15mins then ladle into sterilsed jars.
Et Voila!
No complicated ingredients or utensils need! (Sorry Lakeland, but rest assured I will spend my money on other lovely things...)
This is quite a small amount of jam and should keep fine in the fridge - I have no idea how long it will last - but if your house is anything like mine it will be eaten up long before it has chance to go off!
For some reason it's something I have avoided in the past, partly because of the bewildering array of 'special' utensils listed in my recipe books - jam thermometer, jam funnel, special pans, waxed circles, preserving jars etc etc. Perusing the Lakeland website (my kitchen utensil supplier of choice ) confirmed my suspicions that these things cost money. More than I can afford to shell out for what, at best would be a once or twice yearly activity. I really might just as well go out to the supermarket and just buy a jar or two of jam (good stuff, obviously. The ones with 'extra' on the label somewhere...) So I avoided making jam.
This year, however, I thought 'Sod it! Surely I don't really need all that stuff? I mean how difficult can it be? Really?'
And you know what? It really isn't as mystical as hardcore jammers would have us believe.
There are loads of recipes on the internet but basically you need the same weight of sugar and fruit.I had 600gms of blackberries and apples (peeled and chopped up small) from my mother-in-law's garden, so used 600gms of sugar. I added a large dash (more of a slosh really...) of lemon juice coz it seemed to be mentioned in at least three of the recipes I looked at. And a slosh of water. I have no idea how much... (sorry thats not very helpful I know, but that's the kind of cook I am )
Bring to the boil gently on the lowest heat you can - this can take quite a while so put some music on and make sure kiddiewinks are occupied. You do have to keep an eye on it and stir it so it doesnt burn/stick! In the meantime put a saucer in the freezer (one of those 'mystical' jam things - will become clear in a bit!) and place your washed jam jars upside down in a warm oven for half an hour to sterilize them (140C/275F/Gas1) If you are making this sort of quantity you will only need one or two - recycle old jam jars rather than buying special 'preserving jars'.
Once the fruit and sugar mix has come to the boil keep it there, stirring pretty much constantly for a good 10 mins or so. To test whether 'setting point' has been reached drop a small amount of the HOT jam on the ice cold saucer you have just fished out of the freezer. If its ready it should set fairly quickly as it cools. If not keep it boiling and try again in 10 mins. When ready, remove from the heat and allow to cool for 15mins then ladle into sterilsed jars.
Et Voila!
 |
| I know it's chunky but that's the way (uh huh uh huh) I like it (uh huh uh huh) |
No complicated ingredients or utensils need! (Sorry Lakeland, but rest assured I will spend my money on other lovely things...)
This is quite a small amount of jam and should keep fine in the fridge - I have no idea how long it will last - but if your house is anything like mine it will be eaten up long before it has chance to go off!
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