Bumbleberry Port Jam. An easy mixed fruit jam that’s elegant enough to serve at an afternoon tea with scones and cream, or to fill a classic Victoria Sponge Cake.
Bumbleberry Port Jam. Perfect for afternoon tea.
I’ve been cleaning out the freezer again! Inevitably, one of the things that always seems to be there, especially now after the winter months are partly used bags of frozen berries.
We regularly buy these in the winter months when fresh are not available or are prohibitively expensive. When I begin to question how long the bags have been open is when I decide to throw them all in together and make a batch of bumbleberry jam.
Store bought bags of mixed berries are ideal for this recipe too.
I am not a big maker of preserves, I’m afraid but it is something I’d like to get into more this summer. A couple of friends are dedicated canners and bottlers of summer’s bounty.
This jam is a great idea for surplus summer fruits too. I often make jams like this when summer berries and stone fruits are plentiful and less expensive too.
Small batch jams.
Small batch jams.I mostly make jams in small batches, usually no more than a couple of mason jars at a time. We consume them quickly within a week or two. If it nears the end of that time, the jam usually gets used for dessert like a simple, classic Victoria Sandwich Cake.
There are no rules to my freezer cleaning bumbleberry jam. In this particular batch I used blueberries, strawberries and raspberries. However, blackberries, cranberries or local partridgeberries (lingonberries) have been known to be used in the past too.
Use whatever you have. I like to use a proportion of 2:1 crushed berries to sugar and 2 ounce of lemon juice for each 4 cups berries. This is less sugar than most jams but you will get more of the natural fruit flavor, which is what I prefer.
Victoria Sandwich Cake with Jam and Homemade Clotted Cream
When making simple jam without pectin, I like to use a candy thermometer to make sure the mixture reaches a syrupy stage or 220-225 degrees F so that you don’t have runny jam.
This time around I had on hand a bottle of beautiful port wine which I had been given as a gift. It had beautiful notes of cherry and plum so I decided to add some of it to my jam. The result was outstanding.
Bumbleberry Port Jam. Perfect for afternoon tea.
What started as a simple way to use those leftover berries turned into a more complex, deeply flavored, elegant jam. It would be as welcome at a formal afternoon tea as it would at a casual weekend brunch.
If keeping for longer than a week, use the canning method recommended by the jar manufacturer as in this step-by-step guide.
Love strawberry recipes too?
Be sure to check out our collection of 50 Recipes for Strawberry Inspiration. From strawberry cake to strawberry balsamic salad and much much more!
Originally published March 2014. Updated June 2020.
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Yield: 60 Servings (1 tbsp)
Bumbleberry Port Jam
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Bumbleberry Port Jam - a delicious way to use mixed fruit and berries in an, easy but elegant jam fit for a special celebration brunch or to fill a cake.
Ingredients
- 4 cups crushed mixed berries, the jam pictured used strawberries, raspberries and blueberries
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 cup good port wine
Instructions
- Bring all ingredients to a slow boil. Watch it carefully, jams always boil over easily. Simmer until almost all of the liquid has boiled off and what remains has reached the syrup stage on a candy thermometer, 220 - 225 degrees F.
- While still hot, pour into sterilized jars and seal with sterilized lids. If keeping for longer than a week, use the canning method recommended by the jar manufacturer.
Nutrition Information
Yield
60Serving Size
1 tbsp
Amount Per ServingCalories 34Total Fat 1gSaturated Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 0gSodium 1mgCarbohydrates 8gFiber 1gSugar 8gProtein 1g
