No Bits Blackcurrant Jelly

One thing that I can’t stand is when jam has bits in it. Pah, pah, phew (that’s me spitting the bits out). I haven’t eaten jam since I was young for this very reason. But things are about to change – because now – I’m in charge. I had a Tupperware box full of blackcurrants in the freezer left over from my adventures with Cassis and cordial-making. And now that, let’s face it, there’s little to do in the garden right now I have time to devote to stocking up my store-cupboard. So here’s my recipe for the most divine, sweet-but-not-too-sweet, tart-but-not-too-tart Blackcurrant Jelly which is very definitely devoid of bits.

No Bits Blackcurrant Jelly

Ingredients

• 700g of blackcurrants
• 1.25 cups water
• jam sugar
• juice of half a lemon

You’ll also need a sturdy pan, jelly bag and jam jars

Method

1. Place the blackcurrants, water and lemon juice in a pan. Bring to the boil and let simmer for around 10 minutes. While simmering, mash the currants with a potato masher to get all the juice out.
2. Pour the blackcurrants into a jellybag and suspend over a pan. Let the juice drip out for at least two hours
3. Measure the juice and pour into a pan. For every 2.5 cups extracted add 2 cups of sugar
4. Bring to the boil.
5. Now comes the tricky part – the testing. Put a small plate in the fridge for a couple of minutes. Take it out and put a teaspoon of the mixture on it. Place back in the fridge. After 2 mins test it by moving it with your finger. If the mixture has started to set and has a visible skin on it that wrinkles when you push it, then it’s ready. If not repeat the test with a new teaspoon of the still boiling mixture.
6. Once the mixture has attained the setting point take it off the boil and pour into jars that have been sterilized in boiling water.
7. Process the jars (which means placing the sealed jars in a pan of boiling water) for 20 mins.