1kg chopped rhubarb
1kg sugar or jam sugar
5-6 elderflower blooms
Juice of 1/2 lemon (omit if using jam sugar)
I had some early forced rhubarb in the freezer. It's such a gorgeous colour and delicate flavour I thought it might work really well with the flowers.
For my kilo of sliced rhubarb I picked about 6 heads of elderflower. Pick the blooms that are almost going over but not brown...smell them! They're the ones with the best flavour. If they smell good, they'll taste good.
After giving them a shake to dislodge any hitchhikers pop them in a muslin sheet or jelly bag (just in case there are any bionic crawlers surviving your shake) at the bottom of a large bowl.
Add the rhubarb on top then sprinkle with the sugar.
Cover with a clean tea towel & leave, in the fridge, for 24 hours if you can, or overnight if you can't wait. The sugar will draw out the moisture in the fruit which will in turn soak the elder flowers & absorb the flavour and perfume.
When you're ready to start jamming, drain the elder flowers over the rhubarb for 15-20 minutes and sterilise your jars & lids while your're waiting.
Pop the fruit, sugar & lemon juice, if using, mixture into a large pan and heat gently to boiling point. Turn up the heat & bring to a rapid boil, testing for setting point every 5 minutes or so.
When setting point is reached pour into your jars and get those lids on as soon as you can while the jam is hot.
Leave to cool, label then enjoy!
Let me know what you think.
Lynn
