Baking Blackberry Jam -- Very Low Sugar

Blackberry jam is done, thanks to a friend who reminded me (via  Facebook post about her own fresh-picked, frozen blackberries) that I needed to pick the blackberries in our backyard. My berries never went into the freezer. Instead, I immediately made low-sugar, baked blackberry jam.

My philosophy on blackberry picking is one for the bowl, one for me. One into the bowl, one into my mouth. I picked 9 and a half cups of blackberries. So you can do the math about how many I ate! Oh they were wonderful! They taste like summer.

As I write this, my blackberry jam has just come out of the oven. It took two hours to bake. Baking jam -- the long, slow way -- means you need very little sugar. (It also means very little work. Just stir occasionally and work on writing a manuscript while I wait) and I put in one and a quarter cups of sugar for 9 and a half cups of blackberries. If you are not familiar with jam making, that is a VERY low sugar recipe -- and you cannot tell, I promise. My jams taste like fresh fruit, which is why I love my slow-baked jam recipes. Coming to a book soon!

Now, I need some waffles or toast or something to go with this warm, fresh jam I’ve been licking off a spoon...