900 g (2lb) granulated or preserving sugar (see Jam making tips)
Juice of 1 lemon
300 ml (10 fl oz (1/2 pint)) elderflower cordial
Directions
Step 1
Place the gooseberries in a preserving pan with 150ml (1/4 pint) water, then cook over a low heat until the gooseberries are very soft. Meanwhile, place the sugar in a large roasting tin and warm in the oven at 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4 for 10min.
Step 2
Add the lemon juice, elderflower cordial and warmed sugar to the gooseberries, bring to the boil and simmer gently until the sugar has dissolved. Increase the heat and bubble for 25–30min or until the jam is set (see Jam making tips). Cool, pot, then cover and label the jars.
Jam making tips
Setting agents. Preserving sugar produces less scum, dissolves easily and produces sparkling clear jellies and jams. (Jam sugar is used for fruits with low pectin and acid level.)
Pectin makes jam set when fruit is heated with sugar. However, many summer fruits are low in natural pectin, so if your jam is not setting, add extra lemon juice – a good natural source of pectin. Alternatively, use an artificial pectin.
Setting point. When jam reaches setting point, it’s ready to pot. There are two good ways of testing this stage:
1 Spoon a little jam on to a chilled plate, then chill for 1–2min. If it crinkles when you run your finger through it, setting point has been reached. 2 Use a jam thermometer – when it reaches at least 110°C (230°F) the jam is at setting point.
Potting tips. Before use, wash jars in hot water, drain, then leave to dry in a warm oven. Boil the lids. Alternatively, a fast wash in the dishwasher is ideal.
Always pour hot jam into warm jars.
Always fill to the rim to allow for shrinkage on cooling.
Cover with waxed discs, waxed side down, and dampened Cellophane covers, dampened side up.
For longer-term storage, cover with screw-on lids too.
For best results, store jams in a cool dark place.
The GH Kitchen Team are Good Housekeeping’s resident recipe developers and all-round food obsessives. GH Kitchen Director Sarah Akhurst is our resident hosting pro and loves nothing more than putting on a foodie feast for friends. Our GH Kitchen Manager Linzi Pucino is our very own Italian food expert (originally hailing from the North East of Scotland!) and can be found working her way through midweek recipes that cover all bases, from haggis to ragu! Our Kitchen Editor Nadine Brown loves digging into the stories behind her favourite foods and enjoys applying her eclectic tastes to more modern, flavour-forward recipes - just don't give her too much chilli! Our Junior Food Content Produce Frankie Prichard combines a love of beautiful presentation and flavour-led, seasonal cooking in her recipe development, along with a passion for bringing people together through food. With a wealth of professional kitchen experience between them, they’re dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work every single time
