How to make gooseberry jam

In recent years we have planted quite a number of gooseberry shrubs and this year they have produced a good crop. Gooseberry jam is always a favourite so I made this batch last week. The berries actually came from the shrubs I planted a few years ago in my garden in London (alas I still have my home there from my rat race days when I commuted to London every week for work.) I brought the berries back after a recent trip there and topped them up with some fruit from our allotment.

Gooseberry jam is a simple recipe. Remove any stalks and put the berries in the jam pan with enough water in the bottom to stop them catching on. Bring them to the boil and then simmer until all the berries have pulped. Add the same weight of sugar as of berries and bring back to the boil. Keep on a rolling boil until the setting point is reached (put a dollop on a plate and see it it sets). Then add to hot sterilised jars.

Gooseberries are full of pectin so set easily. I often use them with other fruit such as raspberries which are low in pectin. It means I don't have to buy lemons to add lemon juice to get jam to set.