I’m smiling as I write this because I know that I’ve hit the jam jackpot again. I was disappointed at the weak flavours of my last jam to say the least. I’ve established that jams I would be proud to sell seem to have a WOW factor about them. So far, my blueberry & lavender jam and my caramel apple jam have that WOWness about them. I’m so pleased to say that my Elderflower and Lime Jam also ticks this box. Yay!
I discovered elderflower cordial a few months ago and have been searching out this divinely delicate flavour ever since! The elderflower shrub is not a common plant by any means down here on this hot, isolated island I reside on, however, I think that the culinary use of elderflowers is definitely growing. My jam was inspired by a cider I rather enjoy sipping on, Kopparberg’s Apple Cider with Elderflower & Lime – do yourself a favour and try this bevvie, it’s sooo refreshing & yummy.
So, while I have put this jam in my WOW jams box, I will say that due to the delicate, floral nature of elderflowers, this jam actually tastes like pear with other subtle fruit notes. Do not expect a flavour bomb to explode in your mouth, expect a subtle floral awesomeness.
I really hope that description has done it justice!
Important reading before you start: (1) I have assumed you have access to water and have not included this in the ingredients list.
Ingredients
1kg cooking apples, peeled, cored and diced.
2 limes, juice of 2, peel of 1
4 cups white sugar
200ml elderflower cordial
2tbsp dried elderflowers
Equipment Required
Besides regular equipment such as a blender, soup pot and ladle, there are a few preserving utensils that make the process easier. These are (but aren’t limited to): a wide mouth funnel – to make canning easier & less messy and a magnetic lid remover – to make removing the lids from the hot water bath less painful for your fingies.
I’m nervous about writing the method for this one because it was very much a little bit of this and a splash of that, but anyhoo, here goes… Actually it’s also the first time I’ve simply relied on the pectin content of the fruit, instead of my old faithful, JamSetta. Luckily it worked out, now I just have to articulate what on Earth it is that I did!
Method
1. Be Prepared! Sterilise all equipment*. Have lids in hot water on stove top, ready for canning*. Have lime juiced & zested. Have dried elderflowers steeped in roughly 3 cups of hot water, the stronger the better – I just used a tea infuser. Have sugar pre-measured. Have jars and jam funnel ready. Have a cup of iced water with a spoon in it ready for spoon test*.
2. Place apples, elderflower water (from step 1), lime juice & zest into a soup pot and bring to boil.
3. Simmer for 20mins or until soft. Take off heat and use a potato masher (or handheld blender) to puree or part puree the apple mixture. Apple chunks is fine so long as they’re soft.
4. Place back on heat and add the elderflower cordial and sugar. Bring to rolling boil, stirring continuously.
5. Boil for 5 mins, stirring continuously.
6. Time for spoon test. Use the cold spoon to quickly scoop a small amount of jam out. Wiping your finger through the mixture on the spoon should create drag, which is perfect. If not, boil for more time and repeat test with cold spoon.
7. Take jam off heat. Skim any bubbles off the surface (like I didn’t).
8. Time to start canning! I used a soup ladle to move the jam from soup pot to jars, leaving a small space at the top of the jar, roughly 1/4 inch.
9. Carefully remove lids from hot water, 1 by 1 and screw on gently but firmly.
10. Turn jars upside down and cover with tea towel for a few hours and ta daa, lids will be sealed as if by magic. Tighten the lids one last time, they tend to loosen slightly while sealing so if you tighten them at this point they’ll definitely stay sealed.
Notes
1. Sterilise everything – lids, jars, pot & utensils.
2. Place the jar lids in a saucepan, covered in hot water and keep on a medium heat throughout the cooking process.
3. A spoon test is simply a way to check your jam is setting. Always use a cold spoon and if setting correctly, the jam will coagulate as you slide your finger through it. Don’t fear if your jam is still runnier than normal at this point, it will continue to set as it cools.
Although this jam doesn’t pack a punch with regards to flavour, it’s subtleness has really impressed me. Black and white. Yin and yang. I simply love elderflower and I think this jam sums up exactly what the use of elderflower in cooking should do, it adds a delicate floral dance that tiptoes across the tongue.
Pfft, who said I wasn’t a poet?? Ha.
Enjoy my lovelies!
Kiz xx
