Raspberry and Black Currant Jam

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you make raspberry and black currant jam? Gather your ingredients. You can use a bit more raspberries, or more currants — the ratio is up to you, depending on your taste and what you have on hand.

2. Step 2:

   

   Pull the currants off their stems and remove any leaves, rinse them under running water, and dry them on a paper towel. You can skip washing the raspberries, especially if they're from your own garden, so they keep their shape. Mine were from the market, so I rinsed them gently in a bowl of cold water and dried them.

3. Step 3:

   

   Cover the dry, clean berries with sugar, splitting the total amount in two. Let the berries sit for a while so they release their juices.

4. Step 4:

   

   Stir the berries now and then with a silicone spatula or spoon, very gently, so they keep their shape.

5. Step 5:

   

   Once the berries have released plenty of juice (it took me 5–6 hours), you can start cooking. The jam comes together fast, so sterilize your jars ahead of time however you like and boil the lids.

6. Step 6:

   

   Put the currants and their juice in a suitable pot and set it over low heat. If you're making a big batch, a wide pot with low sides works well. I had only enough berries for one jar, so I used a small saucepan. Once it comes to a boil, keep cooking over medium heat for 5 minutes, skimming off the foam from time to time. It's important that the jam doesn't boil hard, and there's no need to stir it.

7. Step 7:

   

   Next, add the raspberries along with their juice. Don't stir. Bring it to a boil, then cook over medium heat for no more than 5 minutes.

8. Step 8:

   

   There's no need to cook it down until thick. Ladle the boiling jam into the prepared jar and screw or seal the lid tightly. Turn it upside down and wrap it in a blanket. Leave it until completely cool, then move it to a cool spot for storage.

9. Step 9:

   

   The amounts above gave me one 12-ounce (350 ml) jar of jam, plus a little extra for pancakes, toast, and tea. Happy canning!