How to make jams

Spoons- You will need a long-handled wooden spoon for stirring the cooking jam, and a slotted stainless steel spoon for removing scum from the surface.

Knives and peelers- Stainless steel blades will not discolour the flesh of the fruit. If you are working with large quantities of fruit, there are special tools available for coring apples and pears, removing the stones from cherries and pulping fruit for purées. These can save a lot of time.

Scales- After a preserving pan, accurate scales are the next most important tool in the jam-maker’s kit of equipment. Some preserving recipes specify tiny amounts – of spices, for example. You can buy scales for measuring minute quantities, but in most cases the exact amount is not critical. As a guide, a level standard teaspoon equals 5 ml or 2.5–3.5g of most ground spices. Always follow either the metric or the imperial measurements in a recipe, never a combination of the two, as the conversions are only ever approximate.

A wide-necked funnel- This makes it easy to fill jars without splashing. Special jam-jar fillers, in metal or heatproof glass, are designed so the jam can be scooped up without burning your fingers.