Jam, Marmalade & Honey

Give me apricot any day .

They had that too glass that's the one I always go for when having croissants.

And me!

But it's fattening

It reminds me of sunshine, always cheers me up.

Reminds me of when my Mum went to the Ideal Home Exhibition in the fifties and brought me back tiny pots of jam, Huntley & Palmer biscuits in a small tin box, A tiny 3" Hovis loaf and Christmas pudding in a basin the size of an egg cup - which I still have

G or2 Apricot jam (from dried fruit) is one of the easiest to make. You can pot it up in lots of small jars (meat paste, baby food) and have your own supply to hand. For those who are a bit feart of jam making - keep all your wee jars from Morrisons, or hotels! and when you have enough buy a jar of good jam, decant into small jars, microwave until just boiling and screw the lids on tight - et voila! a dozen small jars which will keep until opened.

Ahhh but Granny23 I would then have to eat it

Gally - you still have the pudding? or just the basin?

the only trouble is, I don't have a Morrisons near.
Suppose ill have to nick them on the next cruise!

Ha ha Anno pudding went long ago. Basin with my original dolls tea set - amazing it's lasted for over 50 years.

Probably a collectors item now!

I expect costco do them to, as they do catering packs of stuff.
Strange conversation yesterday...
Post had just arrived and included my New Scientist and the Costco magazine. I am having a look at NS
Husband eating his porridge.
me: Ha! Interesting article about condoms. Johnny Come Lately - witty title don't you think?
him: that is a very strange thing for them to be focussing their business on
me: what
him: costco, condoms, don't you think?

Urgent advice needed. I have made marmelade for the 1st time this year.
2 batches. Its all set ok. and reached the "chemical setting" temp of 104/5C

Batch 1.1 The peel all floated to to the top and I realised this was due to potting it while liquid was too hot.

Batch 1.2 I cooled the marmelade down too much and just about had to spoon it into the jar.

I am now on Batch 2.1 left it about 10mins but it still floated to the top.
I am now turning the jars upside down and round as it cools which I think could spoil the set.

I want to get batch 2.2 done.
Is there a particular temperature at which the mixture cools enough to stop this happening? Or is it just learning by experience. Or I shall just have to keep juggling jars.

Its wonderfully tangy though.

I would have thought that so long as you give it a stir in between filling each pot, the peel would stay dispersed. It's best to fill the jars and seal down while it is still piping hot. (Be sure the jars are warm) You get a good seal that way.

While it cools you should hear the click from each lid which shows it has sealed.

I've just done a Google search for this "floating problem" and lots of suggestions to leave the marmalade for 30 minutes before you pot it. I leave mine for a short time but I'm sure I don't leave it as long as 30 minutes. Just listening to the batch I made this morning, it's cooling and the lids are beginning to "pop". I love home made marmalade, the bought stuff is always too sweet for me and I like the tang of home made

Thanks. I have found 30 mins is too long, 15 not enough. There seems to be a very short temperature range between the hot marmelade being still liquid and going totally solid. Potting it up very hot and juggling the hot jars seemed to work best as they got a proper seal.

14 pots sitting about my dining room now, most labeled and waiting to go into the "dark cupboard".
Its really good on crumpets.