Sunday's Supper: Lavender Scented Blueberry Jam

6 pounds of blueberries met a very delicious end in my kitchen on Sunday. I made a double batch of very, very delicious jam. The process if very simple- even for the canning phobic. We had so much fun I almost named this post We Be Jammin. Yeah, I know. The heat makes me delusional. I did see sense, right?

Bubble Bubble...

While we were jammin', there was this guy, getting in our way...

I doubled the recipe, to make 12 half pints of jam.


Lavender Scented Blueberry Jam
Adapted from Caroline

Ingredients
6 lbs or 96 oz of blueberries
2 lbs or 32 oz of sugar
6 tablespoons lavender (I used fresh, dried works too)
Juice and zest of two lemons
1/2 teaspoon of butter

The Day Before...
Weigh out the sugar and add the lavender in a sachet. Let sit overnight. Caroline recommends a 24 hour sit time. I was inpatient, my sugar sat for about 18 hours. The lavender will infuse the sugar with a floral aroma that will make this jam special. Incidentally, lavender sugar is quite delicious! You can make extra for your tea or other baking projects.

Day of Jamming
Wash the blueberries and make sure there are no stems, bugs, or other nasties that might spoil the jam. Place the berries in a big stock pot (just make sure it isn't aluminum). I used a stainless steel soup pot. Mash the blueberries, then add the rest of the ingredients including the lavender sachet. Let sit for about 10-20 minutes. Put a plate in the freezer to test the jam later.

While the blueberries are macerating, set a large pot of water on to boil. This will be used to sanitize the jars and lids. When the water boils, place all of the jars and lids inside. I let them sit until the jam is nearly done, and then take them out. The jars must be warm when you put the jam in them.

To prepare the jam, turn heat to medium/high heat. It took my burner on high heat to make the mixture bubble. It takes about five minutes for the mixture to come to a bubble. If there is foam, skim it off the top. Stir frequently and let bubble for about twenty minutes. Test a drop of the jam on the frozen plate. Let sit on plate for about 30 seconds, then test the consistency. If it is too liquidy, let boil for a little bit longer. I tend to like a runnier jam, so I was careful not to over boil. Next time, I will boil the mixture a little less to make a runnier jam.

Work quickly and pour the jam into the sanitized jars. Screw the lids on tightly. Place the jars back in the boiling water for another 10 minutes to ensure a proper seal.

The jam should keep for about 1 year in a cool, dark place. Opened jars will keep in the fridge for about a month.