Green gooseberry and elderflower jam

Foraging diaries # 9: Elderflower / Jam diaries #2: Green gooseberry & Elderflower

Gooseberries are ripe in July/August but Darina Allen advises pairing them with elderflowers and, by then, elderflowers would have long gone. She writes 'When the elderflowers come into bloom, I know it's time to pick green gooseberries. They feel as hard as hailstones, but for cooking it's the perfect time'.

I searched for gooseberries everywhere but, being a bit before the season, I couldn't find them anywhere. I was saved by Winchester's Farmers Market, as I usually am. Coronavirus restrictions were finally lifted and the market re-opened. On their first re-opening day, there I found the gooseberries I had been looking for!

Darina's is a compote recipe, which requires more water (600ml), leaves the fruit whole and is a bit more runny. I prefer jams so I changed the method and let the majority of the water evaporate. 

Darina also says that gooseberries should be thoroughly softened before sugar is added or the sugar will harden the fruit's skin. I did not find this but I did cook the fruit for much longer than she did to make her compote.

As I finished writing this recipe, I realised that Darina Allen actually has a green gooseberry and elderflower jam recipe in her book. It doesn't require water, it cooks the greenberries before adding the sugar and it cooks the elderflowers with the greenberries thus not needing the overnight infusion. It also says 'This jam should be a fresh green colour, so be careful not to overcook it'. Hummm... definitely need to re-do this jam next year!!!

The final product however, was a truly good one and it's worth hunting for gooseberries. I wonder how the gooseberries taste when they are not overcooked...

Serves: 950g jam.

Ingredients:

• 900g green gooseberries
• 6 elderflower heads
• 200ml water
• 450g sugar

Method:

1. Add the sugar and the water to a stainless steel pan and bring slowly to the boil. Add the elderflower heads and continue to boil for 2 min. Darina uses a muslin bag to infuse the elderflowers without loosing any small flowers in the water. I think that it's cute to find a few tiny flowers and do not bother with the muslin.
2. Remove from the heat, cover and leave the elderflowers infusing overnight. I only have 1 stainless steel pan so I decanted it to a glass bowl and used the pan to make another jam in the meantime.
   
3. Top and tail the gooseberries and halve them. If you are sparing, you'll barely loose 100g of fruit.
   
   
   
   
4. Remove the elderflower heads and add the gooseberries. Bring to the boil and let the fruit cook for 20-30 min, until setting point is reached. 
   
   
   
   
5. Leave the fruit as it is or mash it a little. I prefer the latter.
6. Fill into sterilised jars, and cover with tightly fitting lids. I do not use silicone or paper discs so I fill the jars all the way to the top. The less air inside, the less chances of mold developing. 
7. Store in a cool, dark place. 
   

How to sterilise jars and lids?

Jars: heat them in a 180°C oven for 10 min. Let them cool.

Lids: boil them in water for 10 min. Let them air dry upside down. If you are tight for time, let them dry on the door of the open oven once you've sterilised the jars and the oven if off.

What is a setting point?

Literature tells us that the jam setting point is reached at 105°C. I bought a sugar thermometer specially for this. I really cannot get my jams to get to 105°C so I quit on the thermometer!

There is an easier way, the wrinkle method, which involves a cold plate. Check this link out: https://www.cookingwithnanaling.com/how-to-tell-when-jam-is-set/

In time you won't need any of these methods. Experience of looking on how the jam sets on your stirring spoon will tell you when it's ready.

How long will the jam last for?

Literature tells you jams will last for 6 months and the more sugar you add to them the longer they will last as sugar is a preservative. Jams usually have a 1:1 fruit to sugar ratio to make them last longer.

Personally, that is not my experience. I usually use half the amount of sugar so a 1:½ fruit to sugar ratio. Some years we are eating jams 1 year later and they are still absolutely fine.

Perhaps the jam has developed a bit of mold on the top when you open it. Do not throw it away!!! Just scoop the mold out and continue eating. If you are a fast eater like my partner, you can store the jam in the cupboard. If you are not, store it in the fridge.