Every year we go to the strawberry patch at Syston Farms to collect bucket loads of strawberries. And, every year, we stuff ourselves until we are sick, and then I make some jam for the winter. I usually make strawberry freezer jam, but this year, I decided to make a more traditional recipe, with a bit of a twist of course!
So without further ado, here is the recipe for Strawberry & Lavender Jam, adorned with images from the patch to make you smile!
Ingredients:
1 lb strawberries (you can do more or less, but just make sure the sugar is the same ratio)
1 lb sugar
2 lemons
1 apple sliced into chunks, keeping skin and core in
a handful of fresh lavender flowers
Method:
Wash and dry the strawberries and cut them up into pieces – the size is really up to you, whatever you like! Place them in a large (non aluminium) pan and cook for about 5 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved and the liquid starts bubbling.
Take the chopped whole apple, with all the trimmings and place in a jelly bag or cheese cloth. Place into the pot. The apple has lots of natural pectin and will help the jam set. You can also add the peeled and chopped apple to the jam directly if you want, keeping the core and peel in the jelly bag to remove later.
After about 20 minutes add the juice of the two lemons and stir occasionally.
In the meantime, strip the lavender flowers off their stalks and shake off any bugs that have hitched a ride!
Test your jam using the freezer plate method, and when it just starts to wrinkle, add the lavender flowers in. Cook another 3 minutes, then pour into sterilised jars and can as usual.
And voila! Pure deliciousness to use that glut of strawberries!