Bramble and Apple Jam

It's time for the last autumn jam of the year.

We've been gathering brambles round the lake by work and freezing them down until there's enough for jam.

This year we've also picked some of the cooking apples from an old Bramley tree in the hedgerow, so all the fruit for this jam was free.

• 2 kg cooking apples, weight after peeling and coring
• 6 tbsp water
• 3 kg fresh and/or frozen brambles
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 5 kg sugar

Chop apples and put into a maslin with the water. Let cook gently for a few minutes to start softening the apple.
Add 3/4 of the brambles and continue to cook gently over a low heat, stirring occasionally, until the apple softens and disintegrates.
Add the rest of the brambles and the lemon juice and cook a little more to soften these.
Now add the 5kg of sugar and stir in.
Continue to heat gently and stir until the sugar dissolves.
Bring the mixture to the boil and then boil until jam setting point is reached.
Let cool a little, stirring to distribute the remaining whole brambles evenly.
Pack into hot jars and seal as usual.