How To Make Homemade Raspberry Jam

Late summer Sunday afternoons bring to mind leisurely teas in the garden. Table and chairs, a pretty tablecloth and cups and saucers are the essentials for a real English afternoon tea. You can forget the modern cup cakes and muffins; dainty cucumber sandwiches, a Victoria sandwich cake and scones, with fresh home made raspberry jam, are the order of the day on these occasions.

A Victoria sandwich cake is not the easiest or quickest cake to bake in a hurry and needs to cool before you can fill it, but I reckon you can make a batch of delicious scones in the time it will take the rest of the family to assemble together.

Home made Raspberry Jam

August is the month when the second crop of raspberries ripen. Notably larger and juicier, these fruits make a wonderful jam. If you can pick your own, raspberries need no washing, just infuse overnight with their own weight in sugar.

Next day bring to the boil slowly and allow to boil rapidly for 10-12 mins. Test a teaspoonful for setting on a cold saucer, when the skin wrinkles the jam is ready.

Pot in sterilized jars and cover immediately.

The jam is ready to eat as soon as it sets. It will keep its colour well if kept in the fridge once opened, but it is so delicious don't expect it too last too long!