Make the most of beautiful blackberries with this gorgeous blackberry jam recipe. Just follow a few basic rules before you start: you will need to sterilise your jars and make sure you have lids that fit and will make a seal, but other than that, all that is needed is a large pan, a wooden spoon, a funnel and a ladle, and you can jam in the kitchen to your heart’s content. This recipe makes enough to fill 2 300ml jam jars.

1
Place the blackberries and lemon juice in a large pan and simmer gently for about 15 minutes until the fruit is soft
2
Meanwhile, warm the sugar in a low oven. When the fruit is cooked, add the sugar and stir the sugar and fruit over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved
3
Turn the heat up and bring the fruit and sugar to a boil, boil for 10–15 minutes until setting point has been reached (see setting point testing notes above)
4
Once setting point has been reached, take the pan off the heat, spoon any scum off the top of the jam and leave to sit for about 10 minutes
5
Ladle the hot jam into warm, sterile jam jars and seal immediately with a screw-top lid. Label once cold.

TIPS:
Flake test:
Dip a large spoon into the pan of jam and scoop out a spoonful. Hold the spoon horizontally over the pan of jam and allow the jam to drip – setting point has been reached when the jam forms a long drip, slightly resembling webbed feet, and hangs without dropping from the spoon.

Cold plate test:
Place two or three saucers in the freezer. Once cold, spoon a spoonful of jam onto the cold saucers, and push the jam with your finger. Setting point has been reached when the jam wrinkles and sets.

Temperature test:
Place a sugar thermometer in a jug of boiling water just before testing for a set. Lower the thermometer into the jam – setting point has been reached when the reading reaches 104.5°C