Raspberry Jam

I like my Raspberry jam to be tart and fruity rather than teeth curlingly sweet. makes 5 jam jars worth.

1. 1

   Put prepared raspberries (de-stalked etc) in a deep sided heavy bottomed saucepan and put on a low heat for 20-30mins until the juice has seeped out of the fruit and the raspberries are cooked. I do not stir the fruit but give the saucepan a swirl so that the raspberries all cook into the juice. Meanwhile, heat the jam sugar in an oven proof bowl/dish and your washed jam jars in the oven on a low heat and put 2 or three saucers or side plates in the fridge or freezer to get cold.
   
   Once the fruit is ready add the hot sugar carefully to the fruit and add the lime zest. Stir gently and then leave on the low heat for 15 mins until the sugar has disolved. Once the sugar has disolved (no grains visible on the back of a spoon when dipped in the jam) wack up the heat so that the jam boils for 10 mins. Do not leave the room as the jam may boil over and you need to be there to turn it down slightly to stop it from doing that. When the 10 mins is up turn off the heat and spoon a little of the mixture onto a refridgerated plate and leave to cool. Once cool push your finger from the edge into the middle of the puddle and if a crinkly skin has formed the jam has set. If not then put the jam back on the heat and boil for another 5 mins and repeat the process.
   
   Once your happy with the consistency add a small knob of butter to help disperse the skum and any left skim off with a slotted spoon. Decant the jam into the hot sterilised dry jars. You can put wax disks on top of the jam, but i didn't. Then seal with the lid and leave to cool.
   
   Tip
   My mum says to put a metal spoon into the jars when you fill them to help prevent the jars from cracking. I didn't the first time i made this and it was fine, but i had just got the jars out of the oven when i decanted the jam into them.