In this recipe, the lightly-cooked fruit retain their freshness while bathed in a clear jelly. |
For 8×25cl jam jars:
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- To ensure a pleasing result, choose ripe, but not overripe, fruit.
- Strawberries are delicate and should not be overcooked or they will lose their attractive appearance. This is the reason for first preparing a syrup in which the fruit is cooked for a short time. This method has the advantage of achieving the right consistency at once, independent of the fruit; indeed in the case of acidic fruit such as strawberries, the heat transforms part of the sugar into glucose, which slows down the concentration of the syrup.
- In a large saucepan bring the sugar and water to hardball stage (121° see below 1) .
- Add the strawberries cut into small pieces.
- Sterilise the jars in boiling water and then stand them upside down on a clean cloth.
- When the fruit is cooked and still retains its shape, ie after a few moments’ bubbling, take them out with a slotted spoon, and, with a jam funnel, use them to half-fill the jars.
- Put the syrup back on the burner. When it has reached softball stage (115° see below 2), fill the jars, leaving a 2 cm gap at the top; you may need to wipe the rims of the jars, then seal them.
Variation : for children who dislike fruit pieces, blend the jam directly into the pan, taking care that it doesn’t burn. This gives a homogenous fruit preserve which is bottled in the same way.
Syrup:
1An amount of syrup about the size of a hazelnut dropped into chilled water stays firm and round.
2A small amount of syrup dropped into chilled water forms a flexible ball but flattens after a few moments in your hand.