Queens Jam Recipe – Blueberry And Rasberry

This Queens Jam combines equal amounts of blueberries and raspberries to create a soft and super fruity jam that is fit for any table. 

It isn’t known where the name Queen’s Jam came from, though it is suggested that it was either the Swedish Queen’s favorite or has earned its name as a ‘fancy jam.’
Combining the best of both berries is considered a jam fit for the queen and is a classic Swedish preserve.

Most years offer an abundance of wild berries here in Sweden and we get together with family and friends to pick and make jams!

Making your own jam is one of those incredibly simple and satisfying ways to preserve your harvest of berries and can even be made using frozen fruit. Making your own jam allows you to control how set the jam will be, and even allow you to eliminate unnecessary additives. You can also adapt the sweetness to suit your preferences, so you get a lot for a little effort!

INGREDIENTS

250g Fresh, wild blueberries or frozen blueberries

Check out my recipe for Blueberry Soup for more information on recognizing and picking wild blueberries.

250g Fresh, wild raspberries or frozen raspberries.

100ml Water

500g Jam Sugar – this is a soft jam that works best with jam sugar as it contains pectin which helps it to set. You will need to use about the same weight of sugar as fruit.

Jam sugar also contains citric acid, granulated sugar and can also swap out some sugar for honey.

If using granulated sugar, I recommend that you also use the juice of half a lemon and try to include some unripe berries or half a green apple to increase the natural pectin.

– Frozen berries are often picked and frozen when ripe and have a lower pectin content. When picking your own fruit, include some less ripe berries or even some unripe ones to raise the pectin levels.

YOU WILL NEED

Well-cleaned jars and lids that are sterilized. This recipe is enough for about 1.2l of jam.

I recommend using smaller jars to prolong the shelf life of your jam which, once opened should be consumed withing about 2 weeks.  

METHOD

1. Start by placing a saucer in the fridge if you plan to do the saucer test, and sterilize your jars.

You can sterilize your jars by washing in hot soapy water, rinsing thoroughly, and then placing them in the oven at 160°C/ 320°F to dry. 

Alternatively, boil clean jars and their lids in a pot of water for five minutes. Remove from the hot water using tongs and place upside down on a clean tea towel to dry. 

Avoid touching the inside of the jars or the lids once they are sterilized.

2. Add the fruit to a wide-based pot with a splash of water, about 100ml/about half a cup. You can add more later if you feel the fruit is too dry and risks sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Bring to the boil slowly over low heat.

Boiling is the key to jam-making because it releases pectin from the fruit. This process will typically take between 5 and 10 minutes.

3. Add the jam sugar ( or granulated sugar and lemon juice if using) and stir to combine thoroughly before bringing it to a boil, keeping the heat low until the sugar has dissolved.

 Foamy scum may form on the surface of the jam and can be removed by adding a little butter (about a teaspoon) or skimming it off later with a spoon while the mixture is cooling. 

4. It is a good idea to test your jam to see if it has reached the setting point, as jams can be tricky.

If you don't boil long enough, the pectin network will not form properly. If you boil for too long, you risk losing the fresh flavour and colour, and your jam may not set at all. 

You can do this in two ways:

Using a thermometer – you should aim for 105°C / 221°F.

The saucer test:

Place a small blob of jam onto your pre-chilled saucer and return to the fridge for a minute to cool.

Drag the tip of your finger through the edge of the blob; if it wrinkles, you have reached the setting point and can remove the jam from the heat.

5. Allow the mixture to cool slightly.

Resting the jam for 10 minutes at this point will help to prevent the fruit from floating to the top inside the jar. 

Pour the mixture into the jars and put the lid on while the jam is still hot.

Fill the hot, dry jars right o the top - preserves shrink slightly on cooling, and a full jar means less trapped condensation. 

Using a thermometer to test for the setting point of jam:

The most useful tool if you want to be sure you have reached the setting point for a jam or jelly is a thermometer. This takes all the guesswork out of whether or not you have hit a jam-setting point. When the temperature of a boiling jam hits 105°C / 220°F, you know you have removed enough water from the fruit so pectin can begin forming bonds.

The saucer trick:

Another useful trick if you don’t have a thermometer handy 

Spoon a little jam onto a pre-cooled saucer, let the jam cool in the fridge for a minute, and then push against the side of it with your finger.

If the surface wrinkles, the pectin network has solidified, the setting point has been reached, and you should take the mixture off the heat. 

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

Simply delicious on freshly baked scones or a slice of sourdough toast. The softness of the berries and incredible flavor also make jam sandwiches a real treat! We also often use a spoonful of jam on our oatmeal when we’ve run out of apple sauce.

We use this jam instead of strawberry jam to make the most luxurious Viktoria Sandwich cakes! Add a thick layer of jam and whipped cream between two cooled sponge cakes. Add a few shakes of powdered sugar to top it off, and you have a simple yet delicious cake suitable for any occasion!

Because this is a beautifully soft jam, it’s easy to make it into a quick ice cream sauce! Simply heat it a little bit in the microwave or on the stove and add a splash of water. Mix thoroughly and serve with vanilla or chocolate ice cream!

STORAGE

Your homemade Queens Jam will last up to a year if stored in a cool dark place. After opening, it should be stored in the fridge and eaten within about two weeks.

VARIATIONS OF QUEEN’S JAM

For variation, why not try a combination of raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and cloudberries which together make a most balanced marriage of fruity flavor? For a smooth jam, prepare the cloudberries and blackberries first, and sieve out the seeds.

If you enjoyed this recipe, I would love it if you would give it 5 stars and let me know in the comments below!