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SOMETHING SPECIAL
HOT POTS
Give strawberry jam a Christmas kick by adding a dash of chilli. A home-made gift is always
a winner and with one batch of this easy-to-make preserve you can start ticking off your present list
CHILLIED STRAWBERRY JAM
Stuck for ideas for a Christmas gift or
stocking fillers Then try making this
strawberry jam with a twist. Adding a
little fiery chilli and tangy lime rind
and juice turns this classic preserve
into a special foodie gift
Makes 5-6 assorted small jars
Preparation time 15 minutes
Cooking time 10 minutes
INGREDIENTS
• 1kg/2¼lb fresh strawberries,
rinsed, hulled and halved
• 1 tsp dried crushed red chillies
• 1kg/2¼lb jam sugar
• Grated rind and juice of 2 limes
• 15g/½oz butter
1. Divide the strawberries into 2
piles, putting the smaller berries in
one pile and the larger ones in the
other. Put the larger strawberries
in a preserving pan or large
saucepan and roughly mash with
a potato masher.
2. Add the remaining smaller
strawberries, dried crushed
chillies and sugar and heat
gently, stirring from time to time,
for about 5 minutes until the
sugar has dissolved and the
strawberries are beginning to soften.
3. Stir in the lime rind and juice
then bring the mixture to the boil
and boil rapidly for about 4 minutes
until the setting point is reached,
skimming off any scum with a
draining spoon while it is boiling.
(The setting point for jam is 105ºC,
220ºF; if you don’t have a sugar
thermometer, spoon a little of the
jam onto a cold saucer, wait for a
minute or 2 then run your finger
through the jam – it should wrinkle
and leave a space where your finger
has been. If it doesn’t, continue
boiling for a minute and test again.)
4. Take off the heat and stir in the
butter to disperse any remaining
scum. Ladle into warm, dry
sterilised jars, filling to the very top
then stir to disperse the pieces of
strawberry evenly. Cover with clean,
dry screw-top lids or waxed discs
and cellophane then leave to cool.
Decorate with labels, string or
ribbon and dried chillies, if liked.
Tip The jam will keep for several
months in a cool, dry place, but
refrigerate after opening.
• For more sweet and savoury recipes
using berries, visit seasonalberries.com.
COORDINATED BY SARAH HAMILTON-WALKER
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