If you’re lucky enough to live near by or even have your own Damson tree in your garden then you’ll know that you get a lot of fruit. This is a great way to preserve the taste of early Autumn for months to come. The flavour of the star anise compliments the plums really well and for me makes it taste even more autumnal.
If you want a headier spiced flavour then use more star anise; you could also add cloves or a cinnamon stick whilst the jam boils. This jam is a delicious filling in doughnuts – an upgrade to the classic strawberry in my opinion.
Damson & Star Anise Jam
Course: Breakfast, JamCuisine: British, FrenchDifficulty: EasyServings
4
servingsPrep time
30
minutesCooking time
40
minutesThe flavour of the star anise compliments the plums really well and for me makes it taste even more autumnal.
Ingredients
2.75 kg damsons
2.25 kg jam sugar
3 pods star anise
cloves & cinnamon (optional)
Directions
- Put a couple of small plates in the freezer and prepare your sterilised jars.
- Put the washed damsons and sugar into a preserving pan with 200ml water, 100ml orange juice and the star anise pods. Simmer for 10 minutes until the damsons are soft.
- Stir in the jam sugar and cook over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved – stir frequently. Bring to a rapid boil for around 15 minutes then take off the heat.
- To test the setting point of the jam, place a spoonful of jam on the cold plate for 30 seconds and then push it with your spoon or finger. If it winkles up, you’ve reached your setting point. If it doesn’t winkle, return to the heat and rapidly boil for another 3-4 minutes, then re-test.
- Once it is ready, remove from the heat and allow to cool, removing the star anise pods and as many stones as you can in this time using a teaspoon. You can push the jam through a sieve to collect the stones and make a smooth jam if you’d prefer.
- Ladle the jam into sterilised jars and store in a cool dry place. Once opened, refrigerate.
