Blackberry and apple jam

This was so easy:

• 600 g Blackberries, washed & drained
• 500 g Bramley apples, peeled, cored and cut into berry sized chunks
• 1.1 kg Granulated sugar
• 300 ml Water
• 10g Butter

Instructions

1. Put the water and apple chunks in a preserving pan and simmer gently until soft (about 5 mins).
2. Add the blackberries, bring to the boil and simmer until soft (about 15 – 20 mins).
3. Add the sugar off the heat stirring to dissolve the crystals.
4. Heat the pan gently to ensure all the sugar dissolves, then boil rapidly for 10 mins.
5. Take off the heat and test a large drop of jam on a chilled saucer and if it crinkles after a couple of mins it’s ready.
6. If not boil for another 2 mins and repeat test until ready.
7. Remove excess scum with a slotted spoon and then stir in the butter to remove the rest.
8. Ladle into sterilised jars. Makes 1.8 kg.

Reading between the lines, the apple could be increased: I did approximately equal quantities peeled, cored and chopped apple with blackberries, as my blackberry picking was rather sparse. I also used just over three quarters of the amount of sugar, sugar being bad for you and all that... the jam was a wobbly set, but still worked...

Apple curd

'Making apple curd' said my friend Ruth's Facebook status.
'Ooh, lovely, recipe please!' I commented.
She turned up at breakfast a few days letter with the recipe, a sample pot and a huge bag of cooking apples. As I took the cellophane cover off, the smell of Christmas filled the room. Deliciously spicy, with the consistency of a firm lemon curd and the sweetness of jam, a little goes a long way. Cook it quickly for a soft, appley curd or slightly longer for a firmer, darker preserve. I used slightly more apples and the quantities still worked, albeit slightly less spicy...

Apple curd
1 kg cooking apples - Bramleys or similar
1/2 kg sugar
2 eggs
250g good Guernsey butter
5ml (1 teaspoon) each of ground cinnamon and ground cloves.

Peel and core the apples. Cook in a little water until pulpy. Add the other ingredients, cooking over a moderate heat until thick. Do not boil the mixture. Pot into warmed jars, cover with wax and cellophane.

I kept mine in the fridge to make sure it kept well before I could give the sweet little pots away. I don't trust myself sometimes.