THE CONCENTRATED, INTENSE FLAVOR OF THIS JAM IS SUMMER IN A JAR, as far as I’m concerned, and an excellent way to enjoy the sunny bounty of this little red fruit’s brief season even in the cold darkness of winter. This is a sweet jam. I love it for pouring over pound cake, and using it as a topping for really good-quality, full-fat, vanilla-flecked ice cream.
MAKES ABOUT
4 CUPS / 945 MILLILITERS JAM
4 cups / 800 grams granulated sugar
4 cups / 600 grams raspberries
Juice of 1 lemon
Preheat the oven to 225°F / 110°C. Pour the sugar into a shallow baking dish and heat it in the oven for 20 minutes. Put your raspberries and lemon juice into a deep, nonreactive saucepan (stainless steel or enamel will do nicely). Bring to a full boil over high heat, mashing the mixture with a potato masher. Boil for 1 minute, mashing constantly. Add the warm sugar, then return to a boil, stirring occasionally, and continue to boil for about 6 minutes, still stirring occasionally, until the mixture starts to form a gel.
Test using the Spoon Test (see page 20) or Wrinkle Test (see page 20) and boil until the mixture thickens. Ladle into hot, sterilized jars (see page 17), leaving a ½-inch / 1.3-centimeter headspace, and seal using the hot water bath (see page 43) for 15 minutes. This should keep for up to 1 year in a cool, dark place, if properly sealed.