11 December 2012

Strawberry and Vanilla Jam

Yesterday I mentioned on my Facebook page about a local strawberry grower here in the Bay.
She is renown locally, with only a highway billboard sign to advertise her presence and as soon as she is open the word spreads like wildfire among the community.
This woman, I was told has people lining her road on Christmas Eve morning waiting for her to open shop for the best ever Christmas strawberries. 
This is because they are the biggest, deepest red and sweetest strawberries I have eaten for a long long time.


The "seconds" which are really quite edible themselves are $5 for an icecream container full, so off I went yesterday to grab me some. The shop smelled AMAZING, there were containers of strawberries everywhere! I took my delicious cargo home and made some jam.

We've been eating the rest straight out of the container as I also bought some big punnets. These really need no macerating, or chocolate dipping or jazzing up of any kind...they are perfect as they are.


Here is the jam recipe, based on a Donna Hay recipe.

1kg strawberries, husks removed and halved
600g white sugar
1 vanilla pod
1/4 cup lemon juice (fresh)
1 tablespoon water

Place the strawberries in a large saucepan and mash lightly. Add the sugar and water and place on a medium heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Split the vanilla pod and remove the seeds, then place the seeds AND the remaining husk into the pot along with the lemon juice.
Bring to boil.
Lower the heat and let simmer for 40 minutes or if you have a candy thermometer until the temperature reads 104 deg C. Otherwise I just keep checking on the consistency by doing the jam test.

This made about 3 large jars for me, so sterilise your jars and add the jam in immediately once its ready. Place lids on and voila, you have jam!

No comments: