Fresh Picked Blackberry and Raspberry Jam

Christian's Mom makes the best jam. I get so excited for breakfast when I am in Germany just to have a delicious roll with her amazing salted butter and fresh homemade jam. After a few trips with the craving lingering long after the last jar I brought home was gone,  I decided I had to make my own.

We picked the berries that morning and made the jam later that day.

I like using fruit that doesn't require you to use a pectin like Blackberries or Raspberries. Picking a few under ripe berries definitely helps with the thickening process by providing more natural pectin.

This was my first attempt making Blackberry Jam and I must admit, you need a ton of berries to make just a few jars of jam. With two very full pints- I came out with 1 1/2 jars full.

Seedless Blackberry Jam
The Fat Mermaid

4 cups whole blackberries(about 2 pints)
3/4 cup granulated sugar for every cup of juice
2 teaspoons lemon juice

Crush Blackberries with your hands or the back of a spoon and put into a strainer over a large bowl. Stir berries but dont push too hard. Let sit over bowl for about 20 minutes.

Measure blackberry juice and add about 3/4 cup of sugar for every cup of juice. Put sugar, lemon and juice into a small pot on medium high heat. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Cook for an additional 6 min. Jam will thicken in the refrigerator. Fill sterilized jars for canning if not eating right away!

A good way to test if the jam is done is to put a plate in the freezer when you start cooking. Put a small spoonful on the plate. If it doesn't run and it starts to wrinkle- you are set! Be careful not to overcook- since the jam becomes a lot thicker once it cools, overcooking turns it into a super thick heavy mess! It takes some time to play wih the timing but if you make it in small batches to be eaten in a week or so its a lot easier.

Raspberry Jam
The Fat Mermaid
Makes 4-5 jelly jars 

4 cups raspberries (about 2 pints)
3 cups granulated sugar (you can add a little more if the fruit isn't super ripe)
1 tsp lemon juice

Warming the sugar in a low heat oven (250 degrees) for about 10 minutes helps the sugar dissolve in the fruit evenly.

Place berries and lemon juice in a large pot/saucepan. Over high heat, bring fruit to a boil and mash fruit with a potato masher as it heats up. Boil fruit for 1 min.

Add warm sugar, stir, and bring back to a boil for about 6-7 minutes. Dip spoon in mixture, at first the jam will drip off the spoon quite easily. Once the jam thickens, the drips will be heavier and 2 drips will join before dropping off the spoon. Remove from heat and refrigerate or put into sterilized jars for canning.