1. All preserves must be potted in scrupulously clean, dry sterilised containers to prevent spoiling. Wash jars and lids well in very hot soapy water and rinse thoroughly.
2. Put open end up on a baking tray and heat in oven at 140°C (120°C fan) mark 1 for 10-15min until completely dry.
3. A jam funnel, which has a wide spout makes potting jam easier. Fill jar almost to top.
4. If potting jam, jelly, marmalade or conserve, immediately cover with a waxed disc, waxed side down while preserve is hot, this stops air reaching jam and helps prevent mould then top with a sterilised lid whilst still hot.
5. Alternatively, leave to cool, then cover with cellophane or jam jar covers and secure with an elastic band. If you seal while preserve is warm, mould will grow on surface.
6. Date and name preserve. Once opened, preserves should be stored in fridge or a cool larder.
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Classic non-stick metal rectangular roaster, Pyrex. Montreux saucepan (2 litres, 18cm), Kuhn Rikon UK. Loft 24 piece dinner set, Zwilling J.A. Henckels. Jam funnel, glass jar, chef's own.
An experienced and highly skilled team of food writers, stylists and digital content producers, the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team is a close-knit squad of food obsessives. Cookery Editor Emma Franklin is our resident chilli obsessive and barbecue expert, who spends an inordinate amount of time on holidays poking round the local supermarkets seeking out new and exciting foods. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Her favourite carb is pasta, and our vibrant green spaghetti is her weeknight go-to. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating crispy corn and nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time (though she cannot resist a slice of tres leches cake). With a wealth of professional kitchen know-how, culinary training and years of experience between them, they are all dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work (and if they don’t – we’ll have the answer for why*) every time (*90% of the time the answer is: “buy an separate oven thermometer”!).
