Chilli Jam Set Solid

Our answer

Nigella's Chilli Jam (from NIGELLA CHRISTMAS) is a good condiment to go with cheese and cold meats. It is usually a fairly soft set jelly but if it is boiled for too long then it can become too firm or hard. Unfortunately we would not recommend reheating the whole batch and cooking with extra liquid at this stage as there is a chance it won't set second time around. Pectin can lose some of its setting qualities if it is cooked for too long.

Instead when you want to use a jar we suggest opening it and transferring it to a saucepan. You can stand the jar in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes to help remove the jam from the jar. Warm the jam gently and add tablespoon or two of water to help to loosen up the mixture. It is difficult to give the exact amount of water as the size of jars vary and the level of set can be different, but aim for a consistency that is just slightly thinner than the warmed jam. As it cools it should thicken slightly. Transfer the jam to a clean container, then store in the fridge and use within one month. When making the jam again you could try using a candy or sugar thermometer and boiling the jam to setting point, or 104C/220F. Remove the pan from the heat and drop a teaspoonful of the mixture on to a cold plate. Leave for a minute then test by running your finger through the cooled mixture. If the mixture flows back then it has not set enough and should be boiled for a further 2 minutes before checking again. If the mixture does not flow back then it has reached setting point.