Roselle Jelly

Method:

1. prepare the fruit for jam making first soak it for a few minutes in a sink full of cold water and then drain.

2. separate the red calyx (the fleshy cover surrounding the seedpod) from the seedpod as described above.

3. weigh the fruit - you will need an equivalent weight of suger to make the jam.

4. weigh the sugar and set aside.

5. place the fruit into a large heavy based saucepan - the jam will froth high in the saucepan and it needs to be no more than half full before you start it boiling.

6. add a small amount of water (no more than ¼ cup for every kg of fruit)

7. simmer gently until the calyces are very soft. Keep an eye on the mixture as you may need to add a little more water to stop the mixture from sticking. The mixture should be quite thick and gloopy.

8. add the weighed sugar to fruit and stir over a gentle heat until the sugar is completely dissolved.

9. bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

10. skim the froth for a more presentable jam. You can test the jam for setting if you like, but I don’t bother for this cooking method. You can use a stick blender to smooth it out.

11. bottle the jam into clean hot jars and seal immediately.

The jam doesn't need to be refrigerated until the bottle is opened. It should keep unopened in the pantry for up to 12 months.