Friday, November 22, 2013

Black Mulberry Jam

I made this Mulberry Jam a couple of months ago actually. I have been collecting black mulberries from my kind neighbour's tree plus some from my own small mulberry plants (not trees!) grown in pots, and have collected enough to make a batch of jam. 





Frozen Mulberries


Homemade mulberries jam.

I have used a hand-held blender to puree the mulberries, as mashing them with a potato masher is not that easy after all. Since the jam already contained powdered pectin in the ingredients, go easy on the lemon juice, as the mulberries are already slightly sour.


Gave one jar to my kind neighbour.


Perfect on bread, with some salted butter, makes a lovely breakfast with a cup of hot coffee.


Black Mulberry Jam
(adapted from "The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook" by Rachel Saunders)
1 pound white cane sugar (I use about 300 gm)
1/3 ounces powdered apple pectin (about 10gm)
3 pounds black mulberries (I use about 1.5kg)
2 ounces freshly squeezed lemon juice (I use 1-1/2 tablespoons)

Place a saucer with five metal teaspoons in a flat place in your freezer for testing the jam later.

In a bowl, combine the sugar and pectin and whisk well to evenly distribute the pectin granules throughout the sugar. Place the mulberries and lemon juice in an 11- or 12-quart copper preserving pan or a wide nonreactive kettle and immediately pour the sugar-pectin mixture over the fruit, stirring as you pour to prevent the pectin from clumping.

Place the pan over medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the juice begins to run from the berries. Increase the heat to high and continue to cook, stirring very frequently, until the mixture boils. At this point, lower the heat slightly, maintaining a boil.

Mash half to three-quarters of the fruit with a potato masher. Boil the mixture for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Begin testing for doneness after 10 minutes.

To test for doness, carefully transfer a small representative half-spoonful of jam to one of your frozen spoons. Replace the spoon in the freezer for 3 to 4 minutes, then remove and carefully feel the underside of the spoon. It should be neither warm nor cold; if still warm, return it to the freezer for a moment. Tilt the spoon vertically to see whether the jam runs; if it is reluctant to run, and if it has thickened to a near-jelly consistency, it is done. If it runs very quickly, cook it for another few minutes, stirring, and test again as needed.

Pour the jam into sterilized jars.


my notes :
  • did not do the jam test. I cooked the jam until it has thickened to the consistency I want. Take note that it will thicken further upon refrigeration.  I like my jam to be a little on the runny side, so adjust to your own preference.
  • advisable to add in about 1 tablespoon of lemon juice first, and add accordingly, as the more sour it is, you will tend to add in more sugar!
  • Instead of using the potato masher to mash the mulberries, I have used a hand-held blender instead.
  • Yields about 2-1/2 jars of 250ml-sized jars.

19 comments:

  1. Everything that is home made is cooked with love much more now it is fresh from your garden pot! Every spoonsful spread is eaten with satisfactorily.

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  2. Joyce , you know that you can make homemade pectin from lemon seeds ?! I haven't tried it yet but I've stumbled upon this easy peasy homemade pectin Anyway , I just sigh over those fresh mulberries , so nice to gobble it straight from the stems :D

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  3. Food from your own garden tastes especially delicious!

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  4. Must be collecting those mulberries quite sometimes. Sure love to make some if I can get mulberries.

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  5. beautiful homemade jam...love mulberries and its jam would be loved by the family too,thanks for the recipe :-)

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  6. Joyce! What a lovely jam. The best jam is the homemade jam.

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  7. Oh my goodness - this takes me back to my childhood in Africa when we had a huge mulberry tree in our garden. Sadly we don't get mulberries in the UK so I will just have to admire from afar.

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  8. Hi Joyce , this looks so delish I do a lot of canning and this seems so easy , I have to try it , I am pinning thanks for sharing :)

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  9. Homemade is the best, Joyce ! And I bet this jam tastes so much better than store- bought!

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  10. Hi Joy,
    Your Black Mulberry Jam looks delicious. I want to try this when I can find these berries. Thanks so much for sharing your great recipe with Full Plate Thursday and enjoy your Thanksgiving week!
    Come Back Soon
    Miz Helen

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  11. Joyce, I didn't know there is a black variety. Wonder how mulberries taste like, a nice change from the usual strawberry or raspberry jam.

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  12. I am waiting patiently for my mulberries to fruit enough so I can make this delicious jam too. Nowadays no chance, as my son always picks them and eats them as soon as they ripen.

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  13. Can I be your neighbor, Joyce? I'll grow the trees you make the lovely jam!!! I only wish I had a smidgen to smear on my Dukkah Bread, lol...

    Thanks for sharing, Joyce...

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  14. Love your mulberry trees, wish I have green fingers like you...I am sure the jam tasted extra delicious since it is all homemade and fruits from own garden:) Looks wonderful!

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  15. Hi Joyce,

    I wish that I'm your neighbour so that I can enjoy your delicious homemade mulberry jam :p

    Zoe

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