English Rose Jam and Jam Tarts!

If you want to feel as though you're in Moreton-in-Marsh or another gem of the English country-side, whip up some English Rose jam!

 

For about a nice big batch of posh English Rose Jam, cut the tops off about 1.5 kilos of strawberries, and combine with a kilo of sugar. I like to mash the strawberries for a smoother set. Bring to the boil for three minutes, and then add a packet of commercial jam setting mix (or a tablespoon of pure pectin) and six table spoons of rose water.

 

Boil until a drop of jam forms a skin when left to cool on a plate.

 

Sterilise bottles by washing in hot soapy water and warming in the oven at 140 degrees for 15 minutes. bottle jam when jam is cold and the glass is warm.

 

Complete with a material cover and rubber band, and a wool bow as shown!

 

English Rose Jam Tarts:

 

You can use ready-made pastry, but why would you when you can make your own?!

 

Sieve together 250g of plain flour, a heaped tablespoon of icing sugar, and a pinch of salt. Add 110g of butter or marg and rub it in with your fingertips until it becomes crumbly. Slowly add a tablespoon of water at a time and rub through until it forms a dough. It shouldn't be sticky, but it should cling together a little bit! 

Put this in the fridge wrapped in cling film for about an hour. Leave it to warm to room temp, then roll out with a rolling pin on a flat surface covered in flour. Cut circles with a fluted cookie cutter and place in an oiled cupcake tray. You should be able to make about 15. 

Put a teaspoon of jam in each tart (not too much - the jam boils in the oven and can spill over the tart) and put a cookie-cut out shape on top (I've used stars here with miniature stars in the middle, you could try any shape you like!).

Bake for about 20 minutes or until the pastry looks slightly browned. Leave to cool before serving, and sprinkle with icing sugar. Pret a manger! Bon Apetite!