680g fresh blackberries
227g honey
½ lemon, zested and juiced
1 tablespoon of fresh lavender buds
Before you start, put a couple of small glass or ceramic bowls in the freezer to use for testing your jam for setting point. Grind the lavender buds in a mortar and pestle. Set aside. Add the blackberries, honey, lemon juice and zest in a large, wide pan. As the blackberries cook down, mash them with the back of a large spoon. This step is optional; it depends on how chunky you prefer your jams. As the jam cooks, it will start to foam. Scrape the foam off as it continues to cook. The foam doesn’t affect the integrity of the jam, but it does make the jam less attractive. Jam sets at around 105°c If you do not have a candy thermometer, you can use the “freezer test” to see if you jam has set. As your jam starts to thicken, remove a bowl from the freezer and place a spoonful of jam on it. Put it back into the freezer for two or three minutes. Pull the dish out and gently nudge the jam with the tip of your finger. If it wrinkles a bit when pushed, it is done. If not, continue cooking the jam a few minutes more and test again. While you are testing, remove the jam from the heat so you don’t accidentally overcook it. Once the jam has set, turn off the heat, add the lavender and mix. Pour the jam into jars, let them cool to room temperature, then refrigerate.
The jam will need to be refrigerated and consumed within a month.
