
Christmas jam
Prep
5 mins
Cook
40 mins
Servings
650
Difficulty
Medium
Every year I make this Christmas jam and it's become something my friends actually request. The beauty of it is how simple it truly is, ready in under an hour with ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. Fresh cranberries are packed with vitamin C to support your immune system during the winter months, and when you combine them with warming spices like cinnamon and star anise, you get something that tastes like the holidays in a jar. The orange zest adds brightness while the edible glitter gives it that festive sparkle. It's the kind of recipe that feels fancy but requires almost no skill, just a pot and a little patience.
Ella x
Ingredients
- 500 gfresh cranberries
- 12 oranges zested and juiced
- 11 star anise
- 11 cinnamon stick
- 2 cloves2 cloves
- 500 gcaster sugar
- 2 tspedible glitter(optional)
Detail level
Instructions
- 1
Put a small plate in the fridge to chill. Tip the cranberries, orange zest and juice, the star anise, cinnamon stick, cloves and sugar into a heavy-based saucepan. Bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30-35 mins, stirring often until the cranberries have burst and the liquid has reduced – it should be thick and jammy. Put a teaspoon of the jam on the chilled plate and leave to cool. Once cool, run your finger through the jam – if it wrinkles up, it’s ready. If not, cook for 5 mins more and test again.
- 2
Leave to cool for 10 mins, then remove the whole spices and stir in the glitter, if using. Decant into sterilised jam jars and seal. Will keep in a cool, dark place for three months, or chilled for one month once opened.
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