Cherry Blossom Jam II is a traditional British recipe, for a classic flower-based jam made by cooking cherry blossoms with jam sugar. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Cherry Blossom Jam II.
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It's mid March and the cherry blossoms are in full display. So, after going around some of my (thankfully friendly) neighbours I have about 750ml cherry blossoms... enough to make a batch of jam. Note that this recipe can also be used to make jam from any edible flowers (eg tulips, apple blossoms, blackthorn blossoms, hawthorn blossoms, rose petals [it's great for dog rose] etc...)
When picking I usually took one bunch of flowers from the midst of a larger bunch so the effect was not disrupted too much and my neighbours still liked me!
I add some Japanese knotweed syrup to this as it enhances the colour, but you could also add about 4 raspberries or 4 young and tender rhubarb stems, peeled and chopped. Anything that will give a pink colour.
This is a great recipe for the urban forager as you can make it from ornamental cherry flowers, but if you're out in the country it works just as well on wild cherry types
Ingredients:
500ml (2 cups) of Cherry blossom (you can throw in other pink petals too – rose or camellia would be great!)
375g water
3 tbsp lemon juice and
400g jam sugar (the type with pectin)
4 tbsp Japanese knotweed syrup (or 4 raspberries or 4 stalks of young and pink rhubarb, peeled and chopped)
Method:
Simply combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and cook, stirring over medium heat until all the sugar has dissolved. At this point continue cooking until the mixture reaches 105°C as measured on a sugar thermometer or until a dollop dropped onto a cold plate wrinkles when you push it with your thumb.
The result is a gorgeous, sweet and slightly floral jam with petals suspended in it. It truly captures the beauty of the cherry blossoms... and it tastes good, too.
