Blackcurrant and gooseberry jam is a tasty and unusual delicacy. In the canned state, the berries perfectly retain their taste and nutritional properties. Therefore, when it is frosty and cold outside, this aromatic jam will help cope with the blues and apathy, and saturate the body with vitamins and microelements.
Cooking features
The peculiarity of making jam is that it does not use water or any additional artificial thickeners.The berries contain enough natural pectin, thanks to which the desired degree of thickness appears.
The preparation consists of only a few ingredients, and an equal ratio of sugar and berries (all together - gooseberries and black currants) is taken.
It is advisable to weigh before starting cooking to avoid mistakes.
Products for the recipe
The list of ingredients for making aromatic jam is minimal. The owner will need:
- kilogram of black currants;
- kilogram of gooseberries;
- 2 kilograms of sugar.
You can add red currants if you wish. It will give a slight sourness and highlight the taste with new notes.
Preparing Ingredients
You need to start by choosing the ingredients for the recipe. Currants of medium ripeness are suitable; you do not need to take the largest ones with thin skin.
An option with a thick peel is suitable, so the berries will not fall apart during the cooking process. It is better to pay attention to the middle and late ripeness of the variety.
Be sure to choose gooseberries that are very ripe, soft and sweet. All berries are thoroughly washed, twigs and leaves that might accidentally fall into the bowl during the picking process are removed. Place in a colander and leave until completely dry.
Preparation of containers
Preparing the container is an important point that should not be overlooked. Step-by-step algorithm of actions:
- choose jars (up to one liter will be enough);
- inspect them for chips and scratches - these cannot be used);
- wash with baking soda and detergent in warm water;
- rinse with cold water;
- put for sterilization.
You can choose any sterilization method. The main thing is that it is carried out carefully so that there are no microbes left that can lead to swelling of the preserved jars.
The jars are placed in the oven for 15 minutes or in the microwave for five minutes (power 800 W). After sterilization, they are placed with their necks down on a clean towel.
How to make gooseberry and currant jam for the winter?
Pre-prepared berries are placed in a large enamel container for cooking. Using an immersion blender they are turned into puree. If we are talking about a small volume of jam, then currants and gooseberries can be ground through a sieve.
The jam must be homogeneous, so before starting cooking, carefully check whether all the berries are well ground and whether there are any lumps left.
The puree is mixed and put on low heat. After five minutes of cooking, add sugar and mix. You need to cook until the sugar is completely broken down, and then until the composition thickens.
There is no need to use any artificial thickeners or flavoring additives for this jam. If thickening does not occur for a long time, then it is probably due to a large amount of juice released.
Try leaving the mixture at room temperature for 4 hours, and then start cooking on the stove again. The foam must be removed, otherwise the confiture will become cloudy. In order for the color to remain saturated and not lose transparency, you will need to constantly stir the jam and prevent foam from forming on top.
Storing jam
Currant and gooseberry jam can be stored for no more than 2 years in a cool room, in an open refrigerator - up to a month.
