Jams, curds and bottled fruits have come a long way from the days when they were simply used to preserve fruits for the winter and making your own preserves at home lets you choose exactly what goes into them, how much sugar you use – and lets you make up your own tasty flavour combinations. Seasonal fruit offers the best value for money and the best flavour and at this time of year it’s best to look out for blackberries, quinces, apples and pears. By making preserves from just-picked produce, you’ll capture the best of the season – and be able to enjoy the fresh flavours of seasonal fruits all year round.
It’s hard to imagine not being able to buy fruit all through the year, but less than a hundred years ago the only fruit available during the winter months would have been stored apples and pears – and whatever had been preserved from the summer. Over the centuries, cooks have been drawn
to the beauty of fruit jellies, and the preserving qualities of honey and sugar, however it took centuries for gardeners to develop the sweet, modern fruits we have today. So when using old recipes, remember that the varieties available to us now are often sweeter and less acidic than they used to be.
GET THE KIT
Having all your ingredients ready and your jars washed and clean is key. It’s also worthwhile investing in some simple equipment to help you make your preserves – and then store them safely.
PANS
It’s useful to have one or two large pans when you’re making preserves and stainless steel is by far the best option – other metals will react with the acidity in the fruits and your jam will be tainted. Lakeland’s Maslin Pans come with volume measurements on the inside, making them especially useful when measuring mixtures.
4.5L Stainless Steel Maslin Pan £29.99
THERMOMETERS
Getting the right temperature is essential for the perfect jam or marmalade, and this sugar thermometer helps you do just that. It also hooks on to the pan, to keep it firmly in place while cooking.
Preserving Pan Kitchen Thermometer £7.99
STRAINERS AND FUNNELS
Strainers are ideal for making jellies, cordials or home brews, and funnels will help you fill your jars easily and cleanly.
Jelly Strainer and Washable Straining Bag £17.99
JARS AND BOTTLES
Lakeland stocks a wide variety of jam and preserving jars that are ideal for keeping preserves along with spare lids so you can reuse the same jars again and again.
RECIPES
BBC Good Food columnist Gerard Baker has developed a range of delicious, easy-to-follow preserving recipes especially for Lakeland.
From classic strawberry jam to bottled berries to passion fruit and clementine curd, you’ll find all Gerard’s recipes in this How To Preserve book.
How To Preserve – 24 Jam, Curds & Bottled Fruits Recipes £5.99
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