Kirstie's Handmade Britain

Victoria Cranfield of Cranfield Foods helped Kirstie Allsopp make this sweet damson jam on Kirstie's Handmade Britain

Makes 4kg (9lb) of jam

• 2.7kg damsons
• 290ml orange juice
• Zest of 1 orange
• 2kg white granulated sugar

1. Sterilize your jars by washing them in warm, soapy water, or run them through the dishwasher, then place them upside down in a low oven (100°C) for half an hour. They must be cool when you put the jam in, so make sure you do this first. Make sure jars are clean and sterilised otherwise the jam will go mouldy.

2. Count your damsons into a large pot. Make sure you keep count, as the number of damsons will determine the number of stones you have to take out. This amount of damsons will have around 250 stones. Once all the damsons are in, next add the orange juice and zest. Cook until they are soft.

3. It’s a fiddly job removing the damson stones, and there are two ways of doing this. Either during cooking you can remove the stones as they float to the top using a slotted spoon. This method means that you have to keep an eye on the pot at all times. Or if you want to do other things during the cooking, at the end of the cooking, you can put on a pair of thin plastic gloves and get your hands in and remove the stones yourself. Whichever way you choose, remember to count the number of stones coming out to make sure you get them all.

4. If you are using a spoon to remove the stones, once the damsons are soft, add the sugar and bring to the boil. Then simmer until all the sugar is dissolved. The sugar will help the stones float to the surface.

5. If you are planning to remove the stones at the end, add the sugar once the damsons are soft and then bring to the boil.

6. In both methods, making sure to keep watch on the pot and make sure the sugar doesn’t catch on the bottom of the pot. Cook for 10 minutes.

7. To test whether the jam is ready, put a small amount on a saucer, place in the fridge and if the jam wrinkles, then it is ready. If not, the mixture will need a slightly longer cooking time.

8. Pour the jam into the sterile jars, filling them as near to the top as possible. Immediately, place a waxed disc over the surface, then seal with a lid. As long as you have the wax discs on top of the jam to seal it from the air, it will last in your cupboard for months.

Tip: Victoria’s most important top tip is to use the freshest fruit you can get hold of to make your jam, as this will ensure you get the best flavour. Local and in season is best. To add a bit of extra flavour, dip the wax discs into brandy or gin before you put them on top of the jam.

The easiest way to make jam is with fruits that have a high pectin content. Pectin in fruit acts as a setting agent for the jam and helps it reach a good consistency. Other fruits to try this recipe with are apples, raspberries, gooseberries and plums for this reason.

Recipe by Victoria Cranfield of Cranfield Foods