Ingredients

Step by step

1. Preheat the oven to 120°C, fan 100°C, gas ½. Skin the peaches by scoring a cross in the bottom of each, then place in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave for 1 minute; drain and cool in cold water before peeling off the skins with a knife.
2. Cut each peach in half, remove the stone, then cut each half into 2 or 3 pieces. Put in a large pan with the lemon juice and 2 tablespoons water. Cook over a low heat for 10 minutes, or until the fruit is just tender. Meanwhile, warm the sugar in a heatproof bowl in the oven for 5 minutes.
3. Split the vanilla pod open lengthways; scrape out the seeds. Cut the split pod into 2 short pieces and add to the fruit along with the seeds, sugar and butter, if using. Pop a jam thermometer in the pan and bring to the boil, stirring regularly. Boil for 10 minutes, until the jam reaches setting point (105°C), then take off the heat. Set aside for 10 minutes before pouring into sterilised jars, making sure you get a piece of vanilla pod in each one.
   Tip

   Keeping the fruit chunky gives you bites of peach in each spoonful. If you prefer smooth jam, mash the peaches after softening.