Vanilla Raspberry Jam

I'll be honest, jam has never excited me.  I never opted for jam on my toast, or in my croissants, or as a filling in any other pastry.  Meh, I always preferred nutella and peanut butter or just pure butter with some sugar and cinnamon.  However, I love making jam, especially in the winter.  I love hovering over a stove and stirring continuously in a slow regular motion.  The steam rising up to your face and fogging up the windows, the scent sweetening the kitchen -- I mean it's like the equivalent of going to the spa for me.   

 Raspberry jam's great if you have no patience for what I just said.  I think this altogether took 20 minutes max.  I just make them for other people as gifts now.

Also, I often think of this scene in Friends when I think of jam. 

Makes 2 400g jars
Ingredients
1 vanilla pod
400g raspberries
400g sugar

Method
Put the sugar and raspberries in a pot.  Cut the vanilla pod in half, scrape out the seeds and put it in the pot along with the pod.

Put it on medium-high heat and stir.  Bring to the boil and cook for about 10 minutes.

It's ready when it reaches 105C, or place a teaspoonful of the jam onto a plate and put it in the fridge to let cool. After five minutes, take it out and push it with your finger: if a crinkly skin has formed on the jam, then it has set. It if hasn’t continue to boil for another 5 minutes, then do another test.