Strawberry jam.

Very useful tip, Granny 23 many thanks.

I make my own pectin from under-ripe windfall apples, You chop them up, simmer them to a pulp, skins, seeds and all, with the least possible water. Then strain through a cloth and store in a jar in the fridge till needed. about half a cup will get a good set with 4lbs strawberries, but if not setting you can always add a little more and boil up again.

Something else I am thinking of doing is making pate sucree targets and putting a selection of fruits in them with a glaze. I have so far harvested 5 cherries some gooseberries and a few tayberries and quite a lot of strawberries.

I use both Lakeland's pectin and also add lemon juice. They do one for low pectin fruits.

I also recommend adding lemon juice to balance the sweetness, and lemon is high in pectin.

I heard that too Fennel

This is the first year we've had lovely strawberries in a good amount from the garden - I have tried several different varieties over the years but these are plants given by a neighbour, she didn't know what variety they are.

However, they will never make the jam pan!

I think I heard that it's best not to use over-ripe strawberries as the jam won't set well. Less natural pectin?

Our strawberries, and all the other berries, just get eaten as soon as they're picked straight from the allotment. The only fruit crop I even cook is rhubarb. I love this time of year. It makes all DH's the hard work worthwhile.

I get the cheaper one - but can’t remember which it is!

You can buy jam sugar but it is more expensive - there are two types, one is preserving sugar which I think is just sugar which melts more easily, the other has pectin in it.

It keeps better when made in the pan and I used lemon juice as well.
One year I didn't think it had set and re-boiled it and it ended up like toffee. A bit sloppy is much better.

I do mine in the pan and use Cetro and preserving sugar
and a squirt of lemon juice. Taking no chances. It never sets hard jyst semi set but doesn't affect taste.

I make it the old fashioned way in a preserving pan, but add red currants. About a quarter of a pound red currants to four pounds of strawberries - and I cut down on the sugar too. About three and a half pounds of preserving sugar. It gets a good set with some whole strawberries.

I’ve never used the microwave - does it get hot enough?

Sorry, strawberry jam.