Easy Smooth Strawberry Jam Filling

This strawberry jam recipe is simple, easy and takes very little time to prepare. Use it to fill cakes, doughnuts, jam tarts, biscuits, croissants and much more.

If you have strawberries going soft in the fridge and don’t want to waste them then you can use them to make this easy strawberry jam filling. It can be used to fill a range of desserts but also taste great on toast, pancakes and as a topping for jam sponge puddings. The uses for this strawberry jam filling is endless.

For this recipe, you don’t need any special ingredients and only need four simple ingredients. Many jam recipes use pectin which is a thickening agent used to thicken jam but this recipe does not require it. The strawberries are cooked for longer which will thicken the jam naturally.

This recipes makes enough jam to fill a layered jam cake and you will probably have some jam left over. It will also fill around 20 jam tarts or 20+ jam doughnuts or biscuits.

Ingredients for Smooth Strawberry Jam Filling

• Strawberries – use fresh strawberries as I have not tested this recipe with frozen strawberries.
• Sugar – I use caster sugar but you can use granulated.
• Lemon Juice – squeezed from a fresh lemon.
• Vanilla Extract – this is optional.

How to Make Smooth Strawberry Jam Filling

1. Wash and hull the strawberries then chop them into quarters and add them to a blender. Blend until smooth then pour the blended strawberries into a medium to heavy duty saucepan and add the sugar, lemon juice and vanilla extract.

2. Place the saucepan on a medium – high heat and stir while the sugar dissolves. Reduce the heat if necessary to ensure the jam doesn’t boil over and continue to stir. As the jam progresses, you will see a paler pink liquid gathering at the top of the jam. Frequently stir until the jam is thick and syrupy and the paler pink liquid has completely disappeared. The process can take between 20 and 30 minutes.

Recipe Tips

• The jam may seem loose at first but it will significantly thicken as it cools.
• Another way to test if the jam is done is to place a small plate in the freezer before you start the recipe. When you finish making the jam, remove the plate from the freezer and add a teaspoon of jam to it. If the jam becomes firmer on the plate then its ready. If the jam stays liquid then its not ready.

Storage

Store in the fridge in an airtight container for 2 days until you need it to fill your desserts.

If you just want jam to keep in the fridge for toast and croissants then ensure you store it in a sterilised container. In a sterilised container, it can last in the fridge for around 2 weeks.

Recipes that may interest you!

• Strawberry Glazed Cupcakes
• Jam and Whipped Cream Sponge Cake
• Blueberry Compote