My Mum's Strawberry Jam

I just love using my Granny's old brass jam pan when I make jams and chutneys - there is nothing quite like it! It's over 100 years old and will have seen some concoctions in it's time. Here's my favourite recipe for Strawberry Jam.

Ingredients

2lbs strawberries - slightly underripe is fine
1 1/2lbs preserving sugar
Juice of 2 large lemons
Knob of butter
(Liquid pectin if you feel the need)

Method

• Wipe and hull strawberries using the Core 'n More.
• Cut the strawberries on the Cutting Board using the Utility Knife and layer with sugar in jam pan.
• Squeeze juice using the Citrus Press and add lemon juice.
• Cover with tea towel and leave overnight so sugar draws the juice from the fruit and dissolves.
• Next day, slowly heat until sugar fully dissolves.
• Add a knob of butter as this will disperse some of the scum.
• Bring to rolling boil for 5 - 10 minutes or until, when tested on a cold saucer, the jam wrinkles.
• Skim off the scum if necessary.
• If you need to add additional pectin, remove from heat for a few minutes and stir in prescribed quantity.
• Let stand for 15 minutes so the fruit doesn't sink when you bottle it.
• Whilst the jam is standing, heat the clean jars in the oven to sterilise them.
• Ladle the hot jam into the hot jars. (Using a jam funnel makes transferring the hot jam safer and cleaner!)
• Top the jam with a waxed disc (you can dip it in brandy first if you feel the need - personally I would drink the brandy and just use the wax disc, but each to their own!!!)
• Put the lid on and leave to cool - the shelf life is 2 years but I bet it doesn't stay there that long.....

Simnel Muffins

Simnel Muffins

I found this recipe on the The English Kitchen blog - it's a lovely one and my tummy's rumbling just reading the ingredients!  Can't wait to do my Easter baking as friends are coming to stay and I love entertaining.

Makes 12

Like the cake except that they are smaller. Light and fruity with a surprising nugget of marzipan baked in the centre of each.

For the cakes:

• 250g of mixed dried fruit (1 2/3 cup)
• Grated zest and juice of one medium orange
• 175g unsalted butter, softened (3/4 cup)
• 175g golden caster sugar (14 1/2 tbs)
• 3 large free range eggs, beaten
• 300g of self raising flour (2 1/2 cup)
• 1 tsp mixed spice (see recipe in side bar on right hand side)
• 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 5 tbs milk
• 175g of marzipan (a scant half pound)

For the decoration:

• 200g icing sugar, sifted (1 3/4 cup)
• 2 tbs orange juice for mixing
• Sugar eggs or mini eggs

Measure the fruit in the Classic Batter Bowl.
Using the Microplane Zester zest the orange and juice it into a Prep Bowl using the Citrus Press.
Stir in the orange zest and juice. Microwave for one minute. Let stand until cool.

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Line a 12 cup medium muffin tin with paper liners. Set aside.

Measure all the cake ingredients into a large Stainless Mixing Bowl.  Using the Stainless Whisk, beat together until light and fluffy, (about 3 to 5 minutes).
Using the Small Mix n Scraper, stir in the fruit, mixing it in well.

Fill the muffin tins halfway with the batter.
Pinch off 12 equal pieces of Marzipan.  Roll each into a ball and then flatten them slightly. Place these discs over the muffin batter in the pans. Top with the remaining batter.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown, well risen and firm to the touch.
Remove to a Stackable Cooling Rack to cool.

In the Small Batter Bowl, with the Stainless Mini Whisk beat together the icing sugar and orange juice to make a smooth icing which is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.
Drizzle over top of the muffins and top each with a few eggs to decorate.
Allow to set before serving.