I thought I had made the ultimate strawberry jam with my version with black pepper and orange, but I might even love this version with Pimms, balsamic and ginger even more. It also has a hint of black pepper, and we all know that strawberries and black pepper pair exceptionally well together.

It transpired from the recipe I posted for roasted strawberries with Pimms, balsamic and ginger a while back. I live alone, and I just couldn’t eat the entire dish after making it, so I thought, ‘Why not turn it into a jam?’

strawberry jam with pimms, ginger & balsamic

I balanced the ratios of strawberries to sugar, then cooked it off using my 8- or 10-minute recipe method, which is a winner for small-batch jam-making. You can view a video tutorial on how to do it here.

The strawberries cook on high heat over a wide surface, which facilitates rapid moisture loss. This is critical for making this jam quickly. You can use a non-stick electric frying pan to increase the surface area (if you have one), but a super wide frying pan over high heat will do the trick. If not, it will take a little longer, but it will still work.

I have to be a little less specific here with the time, as it all depends on the size of your pan and the heat at which you are cooking it. It is also more liquid than in my straight-up jam version, so it will require a little more time bubbling on the stove before it reaches the peak jam stage.

It’s always better to take it a little over than to take it off too soon, where it will remain a little runny. Refer to the method outlined in the instructions below to determine if your jam is ready. Instinctively, I know when this happens as some of the jam starts to get thick around the sides.

One of my favourite treats is to spread a good slice of toast. I love sourdough or a seeded country loaf and spread it thickly with cream cheese. Add a generous dollop of jam on top of that and enjoy it as if it were breakfast pudding. I mean, don’t you think breakfast pudding should legit be a thing anyway? It’s the closest you will get to cheesecake toast.

I’m mad about Jam and super proud of my easy whisky marmalade recipe in my second book, Sweet. I truly feel that I’ve revolutionised the painstaking way of making marmalade, but you will need to buy my book to check that out.

Prep Time:5

Cook Time:10

Ingredients

600 grams strawberries hulled and sliced 2 heaped cups
1 cup sugar
3 Tbsp Pimms
1 Tbsp chopped preserved ginger in syrup
1 Tbsp ginger syrup
Freshly ground black pepper about ¼ teaspoon

Instructions

Heat up a large non-stick frying pan or electric frying pan to high.
Add all the ingredients and cook until the sugar has dissolved – stirring constantly and then cook until the liquid has evapourated off and the jam starts to thicken – around 10 – 12 minutes.
To test if the jam is ready place a side plate in the freezer for 5 minutes. Drop a dollop of jam onto the cold plate. Run your finger through the middle and if the jam stays apart and doesn’t immediately join back together, it’s jammy enough.
Store in a sterilized glass jar.