BLUEBERRY & CHILLI JAM

YIELD: 9 cups per batch
   
Blueberry jam is fabulous as a spread for toast, flavour yoghurt, bake into biscuits and warm to drizzle atop cakes. 
   
INGREDIENTS:
1.3kg blueberries
1-2 chillies, or to taste
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons powdered pectin
7 cups sugar
   
METHOD:
1. Wash fresh blueberries (if using) and drain. If using thawed berries, use juice as all or part of the water in the recipe. Simmer berries, minced chillies (de-seed if desired) and water, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes or until very soft. Puree or mash for a chunky-style jam.
2. Cover jars with water and bring to a boil, boiling for 10 minutes. Once the time is up, turn the heat off and leave jars in the hot water until ready to fill.
3. Whisk lemon juice and pectin into blueberry puree. Bring to a boil, as high as possible, then add the sugar all at once. Bring to a rolling boil (mixture will foam and will not subside) and hold at the rolling boil for 1 minute. Then turn the heat off and rest for a minute then skim foam from the surface (if any).
4. Place lids into a bowl of boiled water. Remove the lids from the water when you are ready to place them onto the jars to seal. 
5. Immediately ladle the hot jam into hot jars, leaving a 1/4 inch (0.5cm) headspace. Remove bubbles, check headspace is correct, then wipe rims with damp paper towel and seal. 
6. Process in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes (start timer once water returns to a full boil). When time is up, turn heat off and rest jars in water for 5 minutes before placing onto a towel-covered bench overnight to cool. 
7. The next day: check jars have sealed before labelling and storing in a cool, dry and dark place for up to 12 months. Jar lids should not flex up or down when pressed.
   
FLAVOUR IDEAS:

• Use fresh or frozen blueberries;
• Use lime juice (add finely grated lemon and/or lime zest if you like);
• Add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ginger , vanilla or nutmeg (or several of these);
• Use extra lemon and add lemon thyme too;
• Add 2-3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup;
• Add lemon zest and maple syrup;
• Adults-only: blueberry jam with honey, port and vanilla.

BLUEBERRY PIE FILLING

Want to make blueberry pies in minutes? Make and preserve this delicious blueberry pie filling to enjoy all year long! Then, pour the pie filling into a pie shell, add the crust and bake until bubbly and golden. Quart (litre) jars are great for family-sized pies; half pint (1-cup) jars of bottled blueberry pie filling make approximately 4 x mini pies. Pie filling is also delicious stirred through homemade yoghurt or used as a topping on cheesecake, pastries, pancakes, ice-cream and other desserts. Use firm, ripe and fresh blueberries (or measure frozen blueberries then thaw before use).    

   

Ingredients for BLUEBERRY PIE FILLING
	1 Litre (1 quart) batch	4.5L (9 pint) batch	7 Litre (7 quart) batch
Blueberries (fresh or thawed)	3 1/2 cups	15 1/2 cups	24 cups
Hot Water (for blanching)	8 cups	8 cups	8 cups
Water, Chilled (or Fruit Juice)	1 cup	4 1/2 cups	7 cups
Sugar, White	3/4 cup	3 1/3 cups	5 1/4 cups
Thermflo (or Cook-Type ClearJel)	1/4 cup (or 1/8 cup for pancake topping)	1 1/8 cups (or 1/2 cup for pancake topping)	1 3/4 cups (or 3/4 cup for pancake topping)
Blue Food Colouring (Optional)	3 drops	12 drops	20 drops
Red Food Colouring (Optional)	1 drop	4 drops	7 drops
Bottled Lemon Juice	3 1/2 teaspoons	1/4 cup	1/2 cup

    

METHOD:

1. Measure fresh fruit to determine the bottling yield. Measure frozen blueberries then thaw before use (reserve juice to use instead of part/all of the water in the recipe).

2. Sterilise all equipment by washing in hot soapy water and rinsing well before use.

3. Wash fresh blueberries and drain. Blanch in a pot of hot water for 1 minute. Drain and keep fruit hot. Repeat with remaining blueberries if required.

4. Prepare jars by boiling in a pot of water for 10 minutes before filling.

5. Soak lids in hot water (not on heat) for at least 5 minutes before use.

6. Whisk chilled water (or fruit juice), sugar, Thermflo (or Cook-Type ClearJel) and food colouring (if using) together in a large, wide pot. Heat over low heat until sugar has dissolved. Continue heating until thick and bubbly.

7. Add bottled lemon juice and whisk until smooth and silky.

8. Quickly add the blanched fresh blueberries (or thawed, drained blueberries) and mix well. Add a tablespoon of extra lemon juice if the mixture is too thick.

9. Pack the hot jars with the hot blueberry pie filling to 2.5cm (1 inch) from the rim of each jar.

10. Using a non-metal utensil, remove any bubbles and add extra blueberry pie filling mixture if required.

11. Wipe rims to remove any food residue.

12. Add warm lids and twist to secure.

13. Place sealed jars into a pot of boiling water and boil for the processing time stated below. Start the timer once the water comes to a full boil.

14. Turn off the heat source once the time is up. Remove jars from hot water after 5 more minutes. Cool jars overnight on a wood or fabric surface. Do not adjust lids during this time.

15. The next day, check jars have sealed before labelling and dating.

16. Store jars in a cool, dark and dry place for up to 12 months.

17. Refrigerate jars upon opening and consume contents within 2-3 days

     

FLAVOUR IDEAS:

Replace part of the blueberries with other types of fruit (keep quantity the same), and/or add a pinch of spice or a spoonful of juice (or liqueur) to a 500ml (pint) jar of blueberry pie filling, process according to the recipe and taste when opening to check flavouring. Make in larger batches as desired.

• Brandy
• Brown Sugar
• Cinnamon
• Ginger
• Ginger Ale
• Ginger Beer
• Honey
• Honey + Port + Vanilla
• Honey + Lemon + Lemon Thyme
• Lemon Juice
• Lemon Zest
• Lemon Zest + Maple Syrup
• Lime Juice
• Lime Zest
• Maple Syrup
• Nutmeg
• Peaches
• Port
• Raspberries
• Strawberries
• Vanilla

       

Processing Time for BLUEBERRY PIE FILLING in a Boiling Water Bath
	Jar Size	Altitude ≤ 1,000 feet	Altitude 1,001 - 3,000 feet	Altitude 3,001 - 6,000 feet	Altitude ≥ 6,000 feet
Hot Pack	≤ 1 Litre (quarts)	30 minutes	35 minutes	40 minutes	45 minutes

       

  

Mini cheesecakes in jars made for a family event.
Guests added pie filling, lemon curd and fresh fruit as toppings.

Day 365: Four Berry Jam

Four Berry Jam
Day Three Hundred and Sixty Five (20.05.2013)
Processing: Boiling Water Canner 10mins
Storage: 12 months+                                                    
Yield: 6 cups per batch
       

Raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and strawberries: a delicious sweet berry jam perfect for toast, stir into yoghurt and top with granola!                                                

                                                                             Ingredients:                                                                                                                       
1kg (2.2lbs) mixed berries – strawberries, blackberries, raspberries and blueberries    
½ cup water                                                                                                                                        
2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice                                                                                              
3 tablespoons powdered pectin                                                                                                    
4 cups white sugar                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
Simmer berries in water for 10mins or until soft.                                         
If using frozen berries, thaw in a bowl and use the juice. Place berries and water into a large deep pan. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 10-15mins until very soft and ready to puree. Puree berries in a blender, food processor or immersion blender.                                                                                                                                              
  
Prepare jars.                                                                                                                 
Cover jars with water and bring to a boil, boiling for 10 minutes while you prepare the jam. Once the time is up, turn the heat off and leave jars in canner until ready to fill with hot jam.
  
Make jam.                                                                                                                      
Whisk bottled lemon juice and pectin into berry mixture. Bring to a boil over high heat and then add the sugar all at once. Bring to a rolling boil (cannot stir down) and keep there for 1 minute. Then turn the heat off and bottle.                                                           
    
Prepare lids.                                                                                                                 
While you are boiling the jam, place the lids into a pan of previously boiling water. Do not simmer or boil, just let the lids heat through in the few minutes while you make the preserve and then fill the jars, removing the lids from the water when you are ready to place them onto the jars to seal.                                                                                                                                                                                                            
   
Ladle hot jam into hot jars.
 Immediately spoon hot jam into hot jars, leaving a 1/2 inch (1cm) headspace. Remove bubbles, wipe rims and seal.                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
Boiling water canner processing.                                                                            
Process in boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes (start timer once water returns to a full boil). When time is up, turn heat off and rest jars in water for 5 minutes before placing onto a towel-covered bench overnight to cool.                                                                                                                                                                                     
  
Next day: check for seals.                                                                 
Check jars have sealed before labelling and storing in a cool, dry and dark place for up to 12 months.    To view more photos of this recipe, visit HERE

Day 58: Blueberry Lemon Concentrate

Blueberry Lemon Concentrate
   

Day Fifty-Eight (17.07.2012)
Processing: Hot Water Bath Canner 15mins
Yield: 10 cups
   

 concentrates are rich fruit-flavoured sugar syrups that you can drink with iced water, ginger ale or tonic water (50 - 75% water, 50-25% concentrate). We like about 20% concentrate and 80% cold water for a refreshing drink. The blueberries taste quite nice with the tangy lemon - a glass of this is perfect in hot weather and to enjoy all-year-long!
   
Ingredients:
6 cups blueberries (approx 2.2lbs / 1kg) - can be fresh or frozen
4 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice (I needed 14 lemons)
6 cups white sugar

Pre-heat jars
Pre-heat pint or half-pint jars by covering in water and boiling for 10 minutes, pre-heat seals by placing into boiling water (not on heat) and leaving for a few minutes.
  
Puree fruit
Wash fresh blueberries very carefully then puree until smooth. If using frozen berries, thaw in a bowl and puree with any liquid (juice) from the bowl, too. You can use a food processor, blender or stick blender to puree the fruit. Then put the puree into a large stainless steel pot. I like to put all of the fruit into the pot then use my immersion (stick) blender to puree. Don't worry about removing the seeds, we'll do that at the end so we extract all of the flavour from the blueberries :)
   
Juice lemons; add other ingredients
Halve lemons then squeeze juice, either manually or using an electric juicer (mine was only $12). Pour through a sieve to catch any pulp, pouring juice into measuring jug. Add correct amount of lemon juice to pot. Add sugar to pot and stir to combine all ingredients.
      
Bring concentrate to 190 degrees Now we want to heat the concentrate over medium to 190 degrees fahrenheit (88 degrees celsius), which is almost bringing to a boil (but don't boil). Clip your thermometer onto the side of the pot, whisking the concentrate over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Stir occasionally until you reach 190 degrees, then turn heat off. Skim foam from the surface.
  
De-seed concentrate
Earlier we didnt remove the seeds as de-seeding berry pulp is a lot of work, and you'd waste berry pulp (which has now broken down and added more flavour into the concentrate). Working carefully, run the hot concentrate through a jelly bag (or line a sieve with 3-4 layers of cheesecloth). Repeat if required until all of the seeds are removed. Only takes a few minutes to strain and you're left with a delicious cordial :)
   
Ladle into jars
Ladle hot concentrate into prepared hot jars to 1/4 inch (0.5cm) headspace. Remove bubbles, adding extra concentrate if necessary to correct headspace. Skim foam (if any appears) from the surface then wipe rims, apply seals and twist bands on to fingertip-tight.
  
Processing
Process in hot water bath canner for 15 minutes. Then turn off the heat and remove jars after 5 minutes to a teatowel-covered bench to rest overnight. The next day check jars have sealed (they shouldn't flex up and down when pressed in the centre). Remove bands, label and store in a cool, dark place for up to 12 months. I made 5 pints of concentrate following this recipe.
        
Concentrates are a fantastic way of using fruit juices with freshly squeezed lemon juice to make delicious drinks to serve during summer or year-round.
  
Why not try making your own blueberry lemon concentrate like this, it makes a delicious drink and a nice gift, too:(^_^):