Frozen blackberries

[robkb]

Possibly a stupid question, but can you make jam from frozen blackberries?

I picked several pounds just before my holiday and froze the lot, but have now decided I want to have my first go at making jam - is it okay to defrost them for this, or do they have to be fresh?

Cheers,
Rob ;)

[robkb]

[valmarg]

Yes you can.

The following is a recipe for Frozen Berry Jam from an Australian Women's Weekly cookbook on preserves.  It states any berry can be used for this recipe.

4 large oranges
1 kg frozen raspberries, thawed
1 kg sugar
2 tablespoons Creme de Framboises
half a cup of slivered almonds

Thickly peel oranges, cut into segments; reserve any juice; discard seeds.

Combine berries, oranges, reserved juice and sugar in a large saucepan, stir gently over a low heat, without boiling, until sugar is dissolved.  Bring to boil, boil uncovered, without stirring, for about 30 minutes or until jam jells when tested.  Stir in liqueur and almonds, stand 10 minutes before pouring into hot sterilised jars; seal when cold.


It's a bit more complicated that I would bother with.  Just plain blackberry, or blackberry and apple would be my preference, but it demonstrates that you can use frozen fruit.

valmarg

[Mrs Ava]

I used to panic and make gallons of jam as the fruit was in season, then when I realised I could use frozen fruit, I freeze masses and make fresh jam as and when I have jars/time or just run out.  Jam does improve if it can stand for a couple of weeks or more so I normally make a new batch of a favourite when we open the last jar.  The other great thing about freezing loads of fruits is you can make jams mixing fruits that aren't in season together, so for example, plum and strawberry (my strawbs finished in July).

Forgot to add, don't defrost the fruit.  Weigh it then continue as if using fresh, just cook the fruit gently until thawed and the juices start to run.  I do find you get more juice from frozen fruits quicker, I guess due to the skins rupturing on freezing.

[robkb]

Great, thank you both for the replies. And thanks EJ for the bit about not defrosting the fruit - that was my next question! Can't wait to try now - if it's half as good as my gran's was, I'll be well pleased.

Cheers,
Rob ;)

[SueSteve]

I made 1kg fruit/1kg sugar blackberry jam on Monday, it made 4 and a half jars.
I still have around 1kg of fruit left, so if anyone has any ideas for a quick recipe (I dont like doing pies very much!), otherwise I might freeze them for later jam use!!!
I am hoping to go foraging in the next few days, hoping to find some plums!!

[Mrs Ava]

Crumble?  What is it you don't like about pies?  The pie or the making?  If it is the making I sometimes do a lazy pie where I make (or buy) some shortcrust pastry, roll it out into a rough circle and place it on a baking sheet.  Pile the fruit up in the middle then bring the edges up and around.  It doesn't matter if it doesn't meet in the middle and it will have creases and folds, but these go all crispy and lovely, especially if you brush the pastry with milk or egg and sprinkle lashings of sugar over it before baking.  Bake until the pastry is golden and crispy.  yum!

[SueSteve]

I am lazy!! I hate getting my pasty board out, its at the bottom of the cupboard with all the casserole dishes, pots and pans on top!! I hate washing it, waiting for it to dry and putting it back in the cupboard.
I guess I should try to find somewhere else to keep it! LOL!

[Trixiebelle]

Here are a couple of easy recipes for blackberries:

BLACKBERRY VODKA: Take a few handfuls of blackberries and stick them in a bottle of vodka with a bit of sugar.

BLACKBERRY RUM: Take a few handfuls of blackberries and stick them in a bottle of rum with a bit of sugar

You don't have to make pastry!

[glosterwomble]

A quick (possibly daft) question. All I have read about freezing soft fruit says to freeze it on a tray to retain the shape of the individual fruit, if you are freezing blackberries to use in cooking and don't want to keep the shape of the fruit can you just bung a load in a freezer bag and freeze them as a 'lump' ?

[Mrs Ava]

You can womble.  I do.

[glosterwomble]

Cool, thanks Emma Jane

[saddad]

One year we were burgled just before Christmas... and the B**tards took all the drawers out of the freezer looking for the meat we hadn't bought yet...
Took us years to use up all the jam!
::)

[shirley B]

Hi suesteve,  I also hate getting my pastry board out, I solved the problem by saving the waxed papers from cereal boxes opening them out, placing them on the worktop and rolling out on them, you can just roll it up and destroy it when you finish.

In one of my cookbooks it says to use frozen fruit for jam just put in 10% more fruit than usual.   gnan.

[Pumper]

Hi suesteve,  I also hate getting my pastry board out, I solved the problem by saving the waxed papers from cereal boxes opening them out, placing them on the worktop and rolling out on them, you can just roll it up and destroy it when you finish.

Why bother with a pastry board at all? I just sift flour onto the worktop and roll it out onto that. Just wipe it down afterwards and Nob's ya blogger  :P

[Emagggie]

Go to your local supermarket and purchase the pre-rolled, pre-cut-in-a circle frozen stuff. 8)
I have to say it's a darn sight better than my home made cardboard. I try to remember to keep some in the freezer for sudden whims and fancies. ;D

[dtw]

I mix frozen blackberries with yoghurt.
While the blackberries defrost, they freeze the yoghurt around them.
Eat while the blackberries are still a bit frozen.

Yum, yum pig's bum.  :D

[robkb]

As an addition to my original question, I did make blackberry and apple jam yesterday with the frozen blackberries. Made 11 lbs of the stuff, and the one I tried this morning for brekkie was absolutely bloomin' gorgeous! So thanks again to everyone for the advice.

Cheers,
Rob ;)

[carolinej]

If you put some frozen black berries or other frozen soft fruit in a food processor with coconut milk, pulse it a few times and, hey presto, coconut and fruit ice cream!

cj :)

[Emagggie]

That sound stasty. Saddad are you listening? We can eat this ice cream ;D ;D.

[shirlton]

We don't like the seeds in ours so I cook them and put them thru a sieve and then back in the pan to sweeten. I add a tea spoon of cornflour and we have it with yoghurt. I have frozen loads and will do the same with those. I'm off pastry at the moment cos we are off on our hols in 4 weeks and I want to be able to fill my face everyday for a fortnight. (After all it's all inclusive)