Blackberry jam with the seeds left in, set firm enough to stay in a sponge.
Thick blackberry jam for the middle of a Victoria sponge, the top of a split scone and the bottom of a yogurt bowl. Made in small batches in Austin, cooked less sweet than supermarket jam, and never sieved. The seeds are the point.
An estimate, not a quote. We confirm the price by phone or email before anything is made.
- Fruit
- Blackberries, whole, crushed in the pan
- Sugar
- About 1 part to 4 parts fruit by weight
- Pectin
- A grated green apple and lemon juice. Nothing from a box
- Seeds
- Left in. We do not make a seedless version
- Set
- Firm. Mounds on a spoon, cuts with a knife edge
- Sizes
- 8 oz jar, 16 oz jar, 2 lb tub, 5 lb pail
Why we keep the seeds in our blackberry jam
Sieving blackberries takes out about a fifth of the weight. With the seeds goes a good part of the body, and the jam then needs more sugar or boxed pectin to set. We do neither. So the seeds stay, and the jam stays thick on its own fruit, a grated apple and a squeeze of lemon.
That also means a slight crunch. Some people love it in a scone. Some people pick it out of their teeth and are annoyed by lunchtime. We would rather say that here than have someone order six jars for a child who will not eat it.
The set is tested the same way as everything else we cook: a spoonful on a cold plate, a minute in the freezer, a push with a finger. If it wrinkles and holds, it goes into jars. If it runs off a spoon held sideways, it is not finished. Blackberries usually get there in under an hour, much faster than the nine-hour plum lekvar, because the fruit is softer and we never cook out the bright color.
- Cook time
- 45 to 60 min
- Cold-plate test
- 1 min in the freezer
- Weight lost to seeds if sieved
- About 20%
- Bake check
- Holds a layer at 350°F
What thick blackberry jam is good at
A soft jam soaks into cake and leaves a pink stain. This one sits as its own dark line.
Victoria sponge
A full 8 oz jar fills one 8-inch sponge with a generous layer and some left over for the cook. Spread it on the bottom layer before the cream so it does not slide.
Scones with clotted cream
Cream first or jam first is your business. Either way the jam stays where you put it.
Greek yogurt
A spoonful at the bottom, yogurt on top. Less sugar than the fruit-on-the-bottom cups and much more blackberry.
Bars and crumble slices
Between a shortbread base and an oat top. Bake at 350°F and it holds as a firm layer.
Thumbprint cookies are better with the sour cherry jam, which domes rather than sinking. For cheese, the damson plum butter is sharper and darker.
Price basis for each size
Built from the 8 oz band of $12 to $14 per jar. Bigger sizes use the same multipliers as the estimator.
Quantity breaks: 6 units take 8% off the band, 24 take 14%, 72 take 20%. A reduced-sugar 1:6 batch adds $1 per 8 oz equivalent. Austin delivery is a flat $8 per order.
Before you order blackberry jam
Short answers to what people ask us on the phone.
Where do the blackberries come from?
From whoever has good fruit when we cook. In early summer that can be Texas berries. The rest of the year we work from berries frozen at picking, which hold their color better than tired fresh ones. Ask and we will tell you which batch is on the shelf.
Can you make it seedless?
No. Seedless needs more sugar or added pectin to reach the same set, and then it is a different jam. If seeds are a problem, the apricot lekvar is smooth.
How long does an opened jar last?
Keep it in the fridge and use a clean spoon. Less sugar means it keeps for a shorter time than shop jam once opened. The freshness page has the exact windows.
Do you ship?
No. Pickup in Austin or local Austin delivery only. We do not ship across state lines.
Ask for blackberry jam
Tell us the size and count. We check the pantry, confirm the price in writing and agree a pickup or delivery. Nothing is paid on this site.
Pairs well in one order with cider apple butter. Or see the full catalogue.