Oh dear

I wonder why it is that I am already in my 70th year the first time I try to make jam.  I had a wonderful idea that some lovely apple and blackberry jam, using fruit from my garden that was frozen, would make lovely Xmas gifts. I followed the simple helpful BBC Good Food recipe. You have to boil the jam until it reaches setting point, and the recipe suggested that would be about 30 minutes.  You drop a bit of jam on a cold plate and it’s supposed to set. I tried lots of times but it didn’t seem right.  After 50 minutes I decided to stop boiling it and put it in the jars anyway - by that time of course it was burnt - and burnt sugar tastes quite nasty. I’m going to have another go tomorrow, and I’ve bought a jam thermometer:)
My mum used to make lots of different delicious chutneys.  But she never made jam - I think I understand why. It’s quite difficult!