Blackberries, the fruit of the bramble bush, are abundant from late August to October. There is a country saying that you shouldn’t pick blackberries after 10th October, as the devil spits on them, making them sour and tasteless, and it is true that the best time to pick them is probably September, as they probably won’t ripen much after that due to the lack of sun.
In spite of their dark colour (which is normally indicative of a high pectin content), blackberries have only medium pectin levels. Pectin is naturally found in fruit and is a gelling agent, allowing the jelly to set.
For this recipe, you will need to use lemon juice or specialist jam sugar (available from larger supermarkets) with added pectin in order to boost the pectin levels.
Bramble jelly is a great alternative to jam and has the added advantage of not containing any seeds! The fruit for this recipe is best used slightly unripe. Discard any damaged berries, and rinse them thoroughly before use. Any leftover berries can be used in a delicious pudding.
Making Homemade Bramble Jelly – Jelly Making Equipment
- A preserving (maslin) pan, available from cook shops, or a large saucepan with a heavy base. Remember that when the jelly boils, it can potentially double in volume, so make sure that your pan is big enough.
- A long handled wooden spoon
- A pair of scales
- A ladle
- A sugar thermometer (optional but useful)
- A number of clean empty glass jars with close fitting lids
- Waxed circles (available from cook shops)
- A measuring jug
- A potato masher
- A large bowl
- Jam funnel
- Either a specialist jelly stand with muslin bag (available from cook shops), or a sturdy kitchen stool and a clean piece of muslin or old glass cloth. Making fruit jellies will stain the cloth, so make sure it’s a piece you don’t want to use for anything else!
Making Homemade Bramble Jelly – Recipe
- 8 cups (2kg or 4lb) blackberries, washed
- 3/4 pint (450ml) boiling water
- Either – Preserving sugar with added pectin, or juice of two large lemons
Before you start, put a clean saucer in the fridge.
- Prepare the jars. Wash the jars and lids in hot water and dry thoroughly. Place the jars (not the lids) on a baking tray, and place in a hot oven for about 10 minutes. This will sterilise them and help prevent the jam going moldy.
- Place the berries in the pan with the water and lemon juice (if using), and simmer until really soft and pulpy. This stage is important as the fruit must be soft to release its pectin. Mash the mixture well with the potato masher.
- Now set up your jelly stand and bag. If you are using a kitchen stool instead of a specialist jelly bag, then set it on a sturdy flat surface upside down, and tie each corner of the cloth to a leg to form a bag.
- Place the bowl under the jelly bag. Make sure it is a large bowl! Overflowing fruit liquid makes a mess that you wouldn’t believe.
- Carefully ladle the liquid into the bag, and allow it to drain through. If possible, leave overnight to make sure you get the highest possible yield.
- Using the measuring jug, measure the resulting juice back into the maslin pan, and add 2 cups (1lb or 450g) sugar for every pint of juice.
- Place pan back on a low heat, and stir until the sugar is dissolved. You must be really sure that all the sugar is dissolved before you start boiling, as otherwise it may catch and cause the jelly to burn. Drag a wooden spoon across the bottom of the pan, and you should be able to feel any un-dissolved sugar crystals scraping. When all the sugar is dissolved, bring the pan to the boil, and boil for about 10 minutes.
- A sugar thermometer is useful at this point. Put it in the middle of the pan, and wait for it to read 105C/221F (the setting point). It is always a good idea to carry out a saucer test as well though.
- Remove the pan from the heat so that it doesn’t go on cooking, and retrieve the cold saucer from the fridge. Drip a little drop of jelly onto the saucer, and wait for it to set. Push your finger through it, and if the jelly wrinkles and you can leave a clearly defined track through it, it’s ready. Otherwise, it needs to boil for a little longer.
- Remove the froth from the pan with a spoon, and discard it.
- Pour the hot jelly into the prepared jars using the jam funnel. Add a waxed circle (wax side down). This will seal the jelly and help it keep better. Put the lid on whilst the jar is still hot (caution – it will be very hot indeed!)
- Add a decorative label, and the date. Homemade jelly doesn’t keep quite as well as jam, but should still keep in a cool, dark place for up to a year. Eat with venison or other dark meats, or stir a spoonful into stews or casseroles to enrich them. Also great with scones or on toast, or as a glaze on fruit tarts - just brush over the top.
Sara Walker - I graduated from the University of Liverpool with a BA in English and French, and spent many years working as a software trainer and then ...
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