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Step 5Nosh.
Okay. No spoons or spatulas are needed until you pour the mixture into a container (I reuse an old jelly jar and am thinking of making my own label) and ladle every last drop of ruby-colored syrup covetously. I do suggest checking the jam once every five or ten minutes to give the pot a good shake over the burner to keep the berries from burning. Once the fruit has cooked down and the mixture is the consistency of the jam of your dreams (smooth or chunky), take the pot off the heat and let cool.
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If you don't have sufficient cold storage space, and you're making more than a small batch (I have about four gallons of assorted berries, also in my freezer, waiting to be cooked down), then it's worth considering learning proper canning technique. Canning is also useful if you want to be able to give your preserves as gifts without having to explain that they must be refrigerated _immediately_. I'm planning to learn simply because I like the idea of being able to keep at least a few jars for longer times without tying up freezer space; there's something comforting about the idea of having a bit of a specific summer stored away on your pantry shelf.
Its sugar content is high enough to just pour it hot into cans, place the screwing lid on and your done.
It keep for years that way. No need to waist energy with a fridge or a freezer.
Even if you get a little mold (which should not happen before 1 year), just scoop it out, the rest will be fine.
The other note is, why French jam. Jam is made the same way all over the world, isn't it?
I've kept a batch of this jam in the fridge for about a week and it didn't turn. I think you'll find that you'll gobble it up before it goes bad! I wouldn't recommend trying to keep it for longer than a week.
Happy cooking,
Traci Hudson, My House Boutique
You're right!