1. First sterilize the glass jars* and lids – either by boiling them in plenty of water or heating them in the oven. Be careful with the lids, they might not withstand the same heat as the glass jars. Set aside and let dry.

2. Slice the prickly pears lengthwise in half and scoop out the flesh. It is advisable to wear gloves, as the skin of the prickly pear has tiny, annoying spines (glochids) that can easily get stuck in your skin.

3. Blend the fruit flesh briefly with an immersion blender, then press the mixture through a sieve to remove the seeds. You will need a fair amount of prickly pears and flesh, as the seeds are quite large and there isn’t much pulp/juice left per pear. Be sure to weigh the pulp to ensure you have 17.6 oz. (500g) of pulp/juice for the jam.

4. Place the weighed prickly pear flesh and juice (17.6 oz./500g) into a saucepan along with the preserving sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla powder. Bring the mixture to a boil, then let it boil vigorously for about 4–5 minutes while stirring constantly. Do a gelling test (using a small plate) – if the jam sets quickly, it is ready to be canned. If not, simply cook it a little longer.

5. Pour the jam into the prepared glass jars and seal them tightly immediately. There is no need to turn the jars upside down. Let them cool completely. Store the jars in a cool, dark place (e.g. basement). If you worked with clean equipment, the unopened jam should keep for at least a year. Once opened, store in the fridge and consume within a few weeks.