Black Currant Jam
Black currants – otherwise widely known as Cassis – are great for making a rich and flavorsome jam because they thicken beautifully due to their naturally high amounts of pectin. But, in order for you to get a jam that sets well, you need to make sure you add some acid to your recipe (usually just lemon juice) and cook the jam long enough – it must hit 104°C (220°F) on your thermometer! There’s really no guessing here, so if you don’t already have one in your kitchen toolkit, then now is the time.
Wait…I know what you’re
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Black currants – otherwise widely known as Cassis – are great for making a rich and flavorsome jam because they thicken beautifully due to their naturally high amounts of pectin. But, in order for you to get a jam that sets well, you need to make sure you add some acid to your recipe (usually just lemon juice) and cook the jam long enough – it must hit 104°C (220°F) on your thermometer! There’s really no guessing here, so if you don’t already have one in your kitchen toolkit, then now is the time.
Wait…I know what you’re thinking…most recipes just say to boil the ingredients for about 5 minutes and then do the plate check thing (place a bit of jam on a cold plate and refrigerate for a few minutes, then put your finger through it to see if it is wrinkly and set). Well, sorry to tell you this, but this method doesn’t always work and you will more than likely end up with a runny jam. Using a thermometer, on the other hand, will work wonders and you will soon be spreading delicious jam on your favorite scone!
Yield: makes about one liter (one quart)