First place your jam jars in a preheated oven (130°C for 15 minutes to sterilise the jars).
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Step 2
Secondly, make sure you have weighed all your ingredients and your equipment and utensils are ready.
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Step 3
Put the blackcurrants and water into a preserving pan. Bring to the boil and then gently simmer the little beauties until the skins are soft, approximately 5 minutes.
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Step 4
Add the strawberries and raspberries (take care not to squash the raspberries when stirring) and simmer for a further 10 minutes.
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Step 5
Add the sugar, stirring until it is all dissolved (if you do not dissolve the sugar before the final boil, you will get sugar crystals forming in the jam). Only add the sugar if the strawberries are soft.
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Step 6
Add the lemon juice and bring to a rolling boil, your jam should be ready in three minutes.
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Step 7
Test the set by using the plate test - place a small drop on a cold plate and leave for one minute, gently push to see if you get a wrinkle if so, it's ready. You can also use the flake test - dip the spoon into the jamm and then hold it over the pan and twirl around three times, let the jam drop from the spoon; if it drops together, then hey presto the flake test is complete. If you want a firmer set, pop the pan back on the heat for a further 2-3 minutes and repeat the tests.
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Step 8
Once setting point is reached, remove any scum. Cool the jam for 5-10 minutes - this will ensure that if there are any whole pieces of fruit that they will not float to the top of the jam jar when it is poured into the sterilised jars.