Ruby Red Raspberry Jam

Instructions

1. What to do ahead: Sterilize jars and lids. Prepare some old newspaper to put under your jars when filing them. Read the instructions of the Pectin and check you have enough for your jam.
2. Weigh the sugar. Put half the sugar in a non-reactive pot.
3. Rinse the raspberries very quickly and put on kitchen paper towel to drain for 1 minute. Add the raspberries to the pot and cover with the remaining sugar. Stir to coat the raspberries with sugar and cover with a clean cloth. Let stand at room temperature for 8 hours, stirring occasionally, so the sugar dissolves completely before cooking. You will have a lot of syrup, unlike the mix fruit + sugar and cook method.
4. For no-seed jam: Pass the raspberries through a food mill fitted with a fine screen and weigh the raspberries after deseeded.
5. Bring the raspberries and sugar to a low simmer and cook for 15minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning. During this boiling stage, skim off the foam, using a big spoon.
6. Check the directions of your No-Sugar Needed Pectin Packet and measure the pectin needed for the weight of raspberries. To this quantity add 25% more of Pectin (see Note 3) and dissolve all of this pectin in the lemon juice.
7. Add the lemon juice / pectin to the pan and allow the berry-pectin mix to boil on medium heat for 1 minute.
8. Fill sterilized jars immediately (it's really important that the jam is still very hot) to 1/4 inch of tops, wipe clean the rims and close immediately with a sterilized tight fitting lid. Turn the jars up-side down for 20 minutes. Turn them back over and allow to cool.
9. Clean jars, label them at least with the date and store in cool dark place.
10. Note 1: Always make only one batch at a time. If you double or triple the recipe's contents you often end up with a softer jam.
11. Note 2: If you want, sterilize the jam in the jars. Place the filled jars in a water bath. Boil for 10 minutes after the water has returned to a boil. Remove the jars to cool on a cooling rack.
12. Note 3: Pectin - About Pectin: I did some research on brands sold in the US. The one that is most similar to the one I use nowadays is Sure-Jell "No Sugar Needed" Pectin. Because I cut down on sugar, I prefer to add 25% more of pectin to the jam and be sure that it sets, rather than having a runnier jam and having to "remake" the jam.
13. If you care to make some jam as a food gift, check these 2 labels from http://www.creaturecomfortsblog.com/, they are absolutely adorable: http://www.creaturecomfortsblog.com/home/2010/8/25/homemade-caramel-fudge-sauces-plus-free-printable-tags.html http://www.creaturecomfortsblog.com/home/2011/6/15/free-printable-summer-fruit-labels-gift-tags.html