How have I never done a classic berry jam recipe in the thermie?! My FAVOURITE jam of all time is my raspberry, rhubarb and vanilla jam page 255 Everyday Thermo Cooking, but there is definitely still a time and a place for a simple berry jam. Most recipes I find use way too much sugar - it’s not only all-together too sweet, but it actually goes as far as masking the beautiful flavour of the berries. This recipe is definitely sweet, I don't think I’ll get any complaints there! But not overpoweringly so. It’ll still last a couple of months in the fridge, just maybe not indefinitely like some jams.
I’ve written this recipe intentionally vague - you can use all strawberries, all raspberries, all blackberries, a mix of all berries or literally any berry or combination you like! I grow my own strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, loganberries and tayberries - the cane berries are actually my favourite thing to grow!! Maximum reward - organic, fresh berries that have a flavour incomparable to anything you can buy, with relatively little effort. It took a few seasons for me to really understand how to prune the berries properly for fruiting, but once I got the hang of that it’s all become second-nature, and frankly they get very little attention the rest of the year. SO if you’ve got the space - grow some berries! Strawberries, raspberries and blueberries do well in pots, so a balcony or courtyard is all you need. In the meantime, strawberries and blueberries are super cheap in spring and summer, while raspberries are at their peak summer in summer and autumn. So let’s make jam!
Want to know more about growing your own food? Listen to my beginner gardening podcast ‘Rooting for You’ - I’ve even done a whole episode on growing raspberries at home (and you can even do it in pots!).
Makes 1 Cup
+gluten free
+dairy free
+vegan
+vegetarian
+egg free
+soy free
Ingredients
1 lemon, peeled and halved
300g berries, fresh or frozen
100g raw sugar
Method
- Place lemon in TC bowl, chop for 4 seconds, speed 6. Remove any pips with spoon spatula.
- Add berries and sugar, cook for 20-25 minutes (20 for fresh berries, 25 for frozen berries), Varoma or steaming temperature, reverse speed soft, MC removed and steamer basket on top to avoid splashes.
Pour into a sterilised jar and refrigerate until ready to serve. Spread on toast, dollop on pancakes or use as a filling in layered cakes! For more of my fresh thermie recipes, check out my cookbook Thermo Cooker Fresh Favourites…
