Gooseberry and Elderflower Jam

This recipe is an adapted version from my new favourite book: Preserves and Pickles. The original recipe required 2 handful of elderflower removed from their stalks, but as I live in Southampton it is quite hard to get your hands on. 
BUT my dear friend, the creator of Kabi's Kitchen, just made some elderflower cordial (his recipe here) so I thought I would give it a go. It did the magic: first you will taste the tangy gooseberry, but than the sweetness of the elderflower hits your tongue! Quite special if you ask me!

Gooseberry and Elderflower Jam

Ingredients
1kg firm gooseberries, topped and tailed
250ml water
0.9kg sugar
1 lemon juice
4-5 tbsp home-made elderflower cordial

Put the gooseberries into a large saucepan, add the water and bring the mixture to the boil.
Cover the pan with a lid and simmer gently for 20minutes until the fruit is soft. Using a potato masher, gently mash the fruit to crush it lightly. 
Add the sugar, lemon juice and elderflower cordial to the pan and stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Boil for 10minutes, or to setting point.
Remove from the heat, skim off any scum and cool for 5minutes then stir. Pot and seal into sterilised, then leave before labelling.


To sterilise your jars:
Wash your jars in hot, soapy water, then leave in a low oven to dry completely. Keep them warm. Alternatively, run the jars and lids thorough a hot dishwasher cycle, then let them dry.

Or like my mum did it: put your washed jars and lids into a massive saucepan filled with water and start boiling it, after 15minutes, just before filling take them out one by one. The jar should dry out within seconds as the remaining of the water evaporate immediately.