Strawberry Vanilla Jam

Hi guys!

As summer is in full swing, lots of berries are getting to their best now. I am a huge breakfast lover, so I enjoy making marmalades and jams myself during summer. It's actually one of the easiest things to do, but I haven't cooked jam until recently. Their is no fixed recipe, it's pretty much fruit, sugar and gallant. 

Here's my recipe:

2 kg (4.5 pounds) strawberries, chopped
1 kg (4 1/2 cups) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 teaspoons vanilla paste or vanilla extract or 3 vanilla beans
2 pouches Gelfix

You can also use special preserving sugar. That way, I use a special type of preserving sugar that ensures I can use 1/3 sugar and 2/3 fruit. In this recipe, you would use 1 kg of preserving sugar.

1) Chop up the strawberries. They should be squares of 0.5cm (1/5 inch) width. 

2) Combine the strawberries with the sugar and Gelfix if you're using it in a large saucepan. Turn the heat to high and bring to a rapid boil.

3) Add the lemon juice and vanilla paste. Cook for 3 minutes.

4) Take a teaspoon full of the mixture and put it on a small plate. It should jell quickly. Fill the cooked jam in jars. Make sure the glasses are completely full to keep any air out. Close the jars up.

Here's how mine looks:

The lemon juice in the mixture ensures the strawberries don't turn brown gradually. It also adds depth to the flavor and balances the sugar. Depending on how ripe and sweet your strawberries are you can use more lemon juice, but not less. You can also leave the vanilla if you don't like it. 

Now you can get started with whatever combinations you like or that sound interesting. Last year, we spiced cherry jam with a little cinnamon and mixed raspberries and blackberries. There's endless possibilities!

Have fun trying and make the most of summer!