Homemade Black Currant Jam (Print Version)

A vibrant preserve made with ripe blackcurrants, sugar, and lemon—perfect for toast or yogurt.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fruit

01 - 2.2 lbs fresh blackcurrants, cleaned and stems removed

→ Sweetener

02 - 2 lbs granulated sugar

→ Acid

03 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

# How To:

01 - Place a small plate in the freezer for testing jam set.
02 - In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine blackcurrants and lemon juice. Gently crush some berries with a potato masher to release juices.
03 - Add sugar and stir to combine. Let sit for 10 minutes to draw out juices.
04 - Place the saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves completely.
05 - Increase heat to high and bring the mixture to a rapid boil. Stir frequently to prevent sticking.
06 - Boil hard for 10 to 15 minutes, skimming off any foam. To test setting point, place a drop of jam on the chilled plate. Wait 1 minute, then push gently with your finger—if it wrinkles, the jam is ready.
07 - Remove from heat. Let sit for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to disperse fruit evenly.
08 - Ladle hot jam into sterilized jars, leaving 0.2 inch headspace. Seal immediately.
09 - Let cool at room temperature, then label and store in a cool, dark place.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's genuinely foolproof; even if you've never made jam before, the wrinkle test takes the guesswork out of knowing when it's done.
  • The balance of tart and sweet feels sophisticated enough to gift, but casual enough to eat straight from the jar with a spoon.
02 -
  • Don't skip the frozen plate test—it's the only reliable way to know when your jam has truly reached setting point, and it beats guessing or ending up with syrup instead of jam.
  • Blackcurrants contain excellent natural pectin, so you don't need any special additives, but if you prefer a silkier jam without the skins and seeds, pass the cooked berries through a fine sieve before adding the sugar.
03 -
  • Use a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan so heat distributes evenly and prevents scorching; a jam thermometer reading 104–105°C confirms setting point if you prefer measuring to the wrinkle test.
  • Don't double the recipe in the same pot—it becomes harder to reach setting point because the greater volume takes longer to concentrate, so make two smaller batches instead if you need more jam.
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