Jam is a simple product: it’s mostly fruit and sugar with added pectin and sometimes citric acid, and it needs little else, so I tend to avoid any with unnecessary additives. Legally, it has to contain a minimum level of sugar, so when manufacturers use fruit juice concentrate instead of sugar, they often fall below that threshold and have to call their product a fruit spread instead.
I tasted 10 jams straight from the jar, much to my teeth’s dismay, and then again spread on warm buttered baguette. Every product was delicious in its own right, but some really stood out as exceptional, with serious complexity and depth, and not overpowered by the sugar.
Strawberries are among the most heavily sprayed crops in the UK, according to Pesticide Action Network’s “dirty dozen”, so I always look for organic strawberry products, especially in a concentrated one such as jam. Where the sugar content is notably high or low, I’ve also included the percentage of sugars. Sugar is integral to jam – it’s what preserves the fruit, after all – but in today’s health-conscious world, it’s worth knowing what you’re spreading. It’s also worth noting that there’s a trade-off for lower-sugar jams in that, once opened, they have a shorter shelf life.
It’s also remarkable how many of these brands are steeped in history: Wilkin & Sons started Tiptree jam back in 1885; Hartley’s was founded in Lancashire in 1871; St Dalfour was established in rural France at the turn of the 19th century; and Bonne Maman arrived in 1971. These are more than just spreads – they’re edible heritage.
Mahogany red with deep flavour and a pleasantly sour twang, making it my favourite for both flavour and texture. Has a high sugar content of 65%, though. It contains perfect whole candied strawberries alongside others that have broken down into a jammy jelly. Really good value and organic, too!
A dark, vermilion hue with an archetypal strawberry flavour and good depth. Very sweet, with 59.3g carbohydrates per 100g, of which 57.5g are sugars. It has delicious bits and pieces of strawberries still half intact, giving a more textural finish. Overall, a great conserve for your money.
