|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
| Recipe Archive > Jams & Preserves > |
Melon & Ginger Jam
(Makes about four 450g / 1lb jars)
The ginger gives a warm fireness to this glowing, elegant jam. Any sort of melon may be used - I have tried cantaloupe and charentais melons, both have an orange coloured flesh, or the honeydew melon which has a green flesh. All varieties, however seem to produce quite similar results in colour and flavour.
Serve the jam with Greek yogurt, curd cheese, or spread it lavishly over cream in a feather - light sponge cake. Its also nice for breakfast for a more spicy alternative to marmalade.
Allow two melons weighing about 1kg / 2lbs each to make approximately 900g / 2lbs of peeled and deseeded flesh.
Equipment & Ingredients
| • |
1kg / 2lbs melon (weigh after peeling it and removing the seeds) |
|
| • |
1kg / 2lbs Whitworths Jam Sugar |
|
| • |
The juice of 2 lemons, rind of 1 finely grated |
|
| • |
85g / 3oz preserved ginger in syrup, drained |
|
Method
Peel, deseed and cut the melon into one inch cubes. Layer the fruit with the sugar in a bowl. Cover the bowl and leave overnight at room temperature.
To make the jam:
Empty the melon and its juices into a preserving pan. Add the lemon juice, lemon rind, and the preserved ginger, cut into thin strips - the thickness of a matchstick. Cook the fruit for about 25 - 30 minutes. A white froth will form on the surface but do not attempt to move it as it will gradually disappear as the jam cooks. Turn up the heat and boil the jam rapidly, stirring frequently until the fruit looks transparent and setting point is reached - about 10 minutes. Expert jam makers will instinctively feel when the jam has reached setting point; novices can use the saucer test. Spoon a tiny pool onto a cold saucer, allow it to cool then push a finger gently through the jam. If the surface of the jam wrinkles, setting point has been reached. (Remove the pan from the heat when you do the saucer test or the jam may over boil). Otherwise use a sugar thermometer - setting point occurs at 105°C / 221°F. When it is ready, leave the jam to rest for about 25 minutes. During this time you can sterilise the jars. Wash them carefully in warm soapy water, rinse, drain and dry off the jars in an oven set at 140°C / 275°F / Gas mark 1. Fill them while they are still hot so that they do not crack when the hot jam is added. Stir once and ladle the jam into the jars, using a jam funnel which will help avoid too many drips.
Tip
Whitworths Jam Sugar contains added pectin and gives a good set and vibrant colour to this jam.
Tip
It is safer to use a long handled wooden spoon for jam making. The long handle keeps your hand further away from the boiling jam, as you stir it. Also it will never burn your hand because wood is a very bad conductor of heat.
Tip
Personalise your own jam recipes, for example passion fruit, or melon liqueur may work just as successfully as ginger in this recipe. It's great fun to create new flavours.
> back to top |
|
 |
|
|
 |
