raspberry jam – a late summer pleasure

by Sharon Santoni

my-french-country-home-raspberry-jam

Most people think of raspberries as a mid-summer fruit, but I seem to have a variety that crops late, and that suits me just fine.

As we head through September I have trouble keeping up with my raspberry crop, they are working overtime to produce huge juicy fruit, that is calling out to me.

Some of the raspberries are picked and simply frozen on trays, ready to use as a raspberry coulis in the middle of winter, but of course the largest part of the crop is transformed into raspberry jam, a favourite in this house.

my-french-country-home-raspeberry-jam1

A favorite with me too, …. why?  Because nothing could be easier!

From me to you, this is the simplest jam recipe you will every find; foolproof and delicious.

one:  pick your raspberries

two:  weigh them

three:   measure out an equal weight of sugar

four:  tip sugar and fruit into a wide jam saucepan

five: bring to the boil, stir to make sure that the sugar and fruit is well mixed and pop a couple of saucers into the deep freeze for testing the jam

six:  make a quick phone call/put together a bouquet/ bring in your laundry from the garden ….. whatever ….  just wait for about 15 minutes then stir the bubbling fruit mix and spoon a little on to one of the cold plates

seven:  wait a minute then push the ‘jam’ with your finger.  If it crinkles then you are done!  If it is still very fluid then let it boil a few minutes more.

eight:   with raspberry jam you are looking for a fresh, summer flavour, so be sure not to over cook the fruit.   Once you think it is ready to set then turn off the heat and let it cool a little before ladling into warm glass jars (I always put mine in the dishwasher before I’m going to make jam to be sure they are clean and warm)

nine:  leave to  cool

ten: label, tie down, gift, whatever ….  what is sure is that you will enjoy!

21 comments

Taste of France September 23, 2016 - 9:09 am

Raspberry jam is like Proust’s madeleine for me.
A taste of raspberries or raspberry jam takes me straight back to childhood.
My grandmother had tons of raspberries, and we would greedily pick them and stuff ourselves every time we went to her house. She managed to have plenty left to make jam–she mixed raspberries and rhubarb for a nicely tangy result.
Of course I planted lots of raspberries in my garden, but the drought in the south this year has all but killed them.

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Brenda September 23, 2016 - 3:01 pm

Wish I could get raspberries to grow here. Planted a bush but did not bear fruit

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Colleen Taylor September 23, 2016 - 5:06 pm

This sounds so simple and easy Sharon. The best recipe for raspberries you’ve given is the homemade raspberry ice cream. I make it often and I think of you every single time I see raspberries! I bet you haven’t heard that one before! X

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Vicky from Athens September 23, 2016 - 8:02 pm

Another yummy recipe from you . . . can’t wait to try it!
Thanks!

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Susan Krsnich September 23, 2016 - 8:17 pm

My favorite jam/preserve! Thank you. I see that you gave a recipe for Red raspberry Ice cream as well – I will look for that!

Hope you have a wonderful fall – thank you for adding to mine!

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david terry September 23, 2016 - 9:30 pm

Dear Sharon (and Readers)…..

If you want to give your raspberry jam an extra, subtle, “can’t-identify-what-this-ingredient-is, but it’s delicious” dimension (so to speak)?….

For every 2.5 pounds of raspberries, add 5 rose-geranium leaves (this is the sort of herb/plant I bet you have, Sharon). Bruise the rose geranium leaves before adding them to the hot jam (once it’s reached the gel point). Remove and discard them after a minute or two.

As with adding basil to pepper-jelly, this simply adds an aromatic, unidentifiable-to-most-folks, lovely-something to the jam/jelly. I learned the trick from a longtime Herbalist pal of mine.

And surely you know the raspberry-jam passage from “Anna Karenina”?…..after Kitty and Levin have been married, the princess is installed as the lady of the Levin household, and the aged housekeeper (who deeply resents the new, young mistress of the house) has to learn to adapt?

Kitt and Agafya Mikhailovna clash over the correct way to make jam…..to add water before cooking or to macerate the fruit previously?…..?????????

“Agafya Mikhailovna, her face flushed and agry, her hair untidy, and her thing arms bare to the elbow, was moving the preserving pan over the brazier with a circular motion, looking darkly at the raspberries and devoutly hoping they would stick and not cook properly. The princess, conscious that Agafay Mikhailhovna’s wrath must be chiefly directed at her, as the person responsible for raspberry jam-making, tried to appear to be absorbed in other things and not interested in the jam, talked of other matters, but cast stealthy glances in the direction of the stove…….”

And there you have it, Sharon….all the inherent, sweeping drama of making Raspberry jam (not to mention dealing with ill-tempered old servant-women), as only The Great Tolstoy could render the matter!!!!!!

Helpfully (I hope) yours as ever,

David Terry
http://www.davidterryart.com

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Isabel September 25, 2016 - 3:26 pm

I love the idea of adding rose geranium leaves! Beautiful idea! Thank you for sharing!

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Our French Oasis September 23, 2016 - 9:41 pm

Raspberries just don’t do well here, we have red currants, black currants, strawberries and of course grapes and they thrive but the raspberries don’t, maybe it is too dry and hot in the summer, I don’t know. I made lots of strawberry jam but it still pales into insignificance next to raspberry in my opinion and in the opinion of the children!

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Diana September 23, 2016 - 11:39 pm

August is the month for raspberries in Scotland, and I did manage to make some this year despite my daughter getting married in the middle of the month! I add the zest and juice of a lemon or two to mine to give it a just a little sharpness and I think the lemons help it to set too.

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Susan Nash September 24, 2016 - 12:47 am

This is the most unique recipe I’ve ever read! I’ll never have my own raspberries to jam-ify, but I loved la recette. Merci!

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Denise September 24, 2016 - 12:56 am

Simply perfect!

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Dottie Monta September 24, 2016 - 3:47 am

The best photo of a raspberry I’ve ever seen!
Your lovely story and recipe made me recall making sour cherry jam with my father, after my mother passed away. I remember proudly lining up the little wax-topped jars and deciding this would always be my favorite jam. It is, but I simply adore raspberry, too!
Thank you again, Sharon, for sharing the beauty of the season.

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Marilyn September 24, 2016 - 4:22 am

Love the recipe. Thanks!

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Bev September 24, 2016 - 12:23 pm

Raspberries are my favourite fruit!! My parent used to grow them in our garden in England when I was growing up and Mum made jam 🙂 Thanks for the recipe 🙂

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Carol September 24, 2016 - 5:01 pm

Love raspberry jam. THANKS for the recipe. Love reading the responses.

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Suzanne Atkin September 24, 2016 - 10:04 pm

Oh, thank you Sharon, from the bottom of my heart! We can’t grow them in Arizona either, but I certainly can get them at the store. I will buy some today. I have to do this and add it to my collection of favorites… Lemon Curd, Apricot/Pinapple, and My grandmother’s Pear honey. Oh, how I wish I had the recipe for that one. It is almost all gone now and sadly so is she.
And thank you Dear David Terry for the Rose Geranium hint. I can’t wait to sample it. And thanks to both you and Sharon for the kind words the other day when I posted my story. You both are so dear to me.
I Googled you, David and saw your picture and read your bio and viewed your work. Very impressive. Anyway, now I know what you look like when I read your posts. All the better to see you my dear. Your much younger and more handsome than I had imagined. : )
Sharon, I will check out the ice cream recipe too. Well, looks like I’ll have some new projects to keep me busy. The pool is too cold to swim in and I turned off the air conditioner a couple of days ago and threw open the doors… day and night now. So the next thing is to put a pot of something like vegatable beef soup on to simmer and make some hearty bread with rosemary and black olives and chunks of garlic. Yumm!

Suzanna

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david terry September 24, 2016 - 10:38 pm

Dear Suzanna, I hope that you’re doing well….and, yes, I distinctly recall your moving/touching (not many folks bother to be sincere on the internet, but when they do, it shows) “Story”.

As for my bio, work, etctera?……they may or may not have been/be impressive…but one thing IS for certain. That photograph of me is at least twelve years old (hint: my hair, like father’s went completely white, for no particular reason, in my late forties). I’m 56 as of this past June

Friends keep telling me to get a new press-photograph; I tell them I can’t be bothered (too busy doing other folks’ portraits). I always add that, in any case, it’s a professional art website….not a dating/hook-up website.

At this age/stage of my life….I’d be a bit put-off if someone DID, actually, care about what I looked like (unless I looked ill, and he/she wanted to take me to the doctor).

Odd, but true….

david terry

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susana K. September 25, 2016 - 4:13 am

Sharon dear!Your news are as fresh and colorful as the rasbery photograf sent to your readers.Lovely,lovely lovely.

Kind regards ,
Susana

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LeVan Rogers. September 25, 2016 - 5:34 am

Is this a freezer jam or how do you store it. Do u seal the jars?

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Isabel @ mybeautifuledinburgh September 25, 2016 - 3:30 pm

We made blackberry jam just the other week – the children’s faces were smeared with its wonderful purple colour! Scones and cream and a fresh batch of jam – nothing better as an afternoon treat in the garden. Raspberry next!

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Victoria Savu September 27, 2016 - 3:13 am

Dear Sharon,
Didn’t get raspberries this year but gallons of blackberries. Picked until hands were full of thorns and nails were black. I don’t always get a good crop so I took advantage of all of them this year. I freeze them whole and when things slow down (whenever that is) I make jam and give some to friends and family along with home made bread for Christmas gifts. I will try your recipe with the blackberries. Is this a freezer jam?

Hope you are enjoying the Fall weather and looking forward to the Holidays as much as I am.

Love Always. Victoria

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