It’s peak blackberry-picking time, so what better excuse to make the most of a basketful than with a batch of homemade jam? Courtesy of food creator Anastasia Hladyr, this blackberry and fig jam recipe brings together two of the season’s loveliest fruits, with a little lemon and thyme for good measure.
Spoon it onto warm toast, swirl it through porridge or serve it alongside a slice of cake. And with four jars in the batch, there’s plenty to keep for yourself and share, too – whether that’s tucked into a hamper or taken along as a thoughtful host gift.
Makes about 4 × 250 ml jars
Ingredients
600–650g blackberries
350–400g fresh figs, roughly chopped
650g granulated sugar, divided
40g fresh lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
2 small sprigs of fresh thyme
Method
1. Place the blackberries and chopped figs in a large heavy-based saucepan. Add 150g of the sugar, the lemon juice and lemon zest and gently mix everything together.
2. Leave to macerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour. You can leave it a little longer if convenient, this gives the fruit time to release its juices before cooking.
3. Before you start cooking the jam, place a small plate or saucer in the freezer. You’ll use this later to check whether the jam has reached its setting point.
4. Set the pan over medium heat and cook the fruit gently for about 5–7 minutes, until it has released plenty of juice and the figs have begun to soften. Stir carefully so the blackberries keep some of their shape.
5. Add the remaining 500g sugar. Reduce the heat and stir gently until the sugar has completely dissolved. Once you can no longer feel any sugar crystals, increase the heat and bring the jam to a good boil.
6. Add the thyme sprigs during the final 4–5 minutes of cooking, then remove them.
7. Start checking the jam after about 8–10 minutes of active boiling. Spoon a little jam onto the chilled plate and leave it for 30 seconds. Push it gently with your finger: if the surface wrinkles slightly and the jam doesn’t immediately run back together, it’s ready. If it’s still very liquid, continue cooking and test again after another minute or two.
8. If using a sugar or digital thermometer instead, aim for approximately 104–105°C. Don’t rely on temperature alone, the chilled-plate test is the best way to judge the texture, particularly as blackberries and figs can vary in their natural pectin content.
9. Meanwhile, sterilise the jars. Wash the jars thoroughly in hot, soapy water and rinse well. Place them on a baking tray and put them in a low oven at 140°C/120°C fan for around 10 minutes, or until completely dry. Keep the jars warm until the jam is ready. Wash the lids thoroughly and prepare them according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Carefully spoon the hot jam into the hot jars and seal immediately.
10. Leave to cool completely, then store in the fridge and enjoy!
A little note: If you have a wide saucepan or preserving pan, it can help the jam cook a little faster, as the larger surface area allows more moisture to evaporate. A deep, heavy-based saucepan works well too.
See the full process over on Instagram.
