If you're still not convinced about just how easy it is to make gorgeous jams, follow Delia's 10-point plan for success every time!
Sugar has a hardening effect, so tough-skinned fruits should always be simmered before the sugar is added to the pan.
Conversely, soft-skinned fruits, such as strawberries, which tend to disintegrate when cooked, should be soaked in sugar first, to harden them and help keep the fruit whole in the finished jam.
The sugar should be completely dissolved before the jam reaches the boil, otherwise it will be difficult to set and the finished jam will be sugary. To test if the sugar is dissolved, dip a wooden spoon in, turn it over and if no sugar crystals are visible in the liquid that coats the back of the spoon, it has indeed dissolved. (To be quite sure, stir well and repeat this test a couple of times.) To speed up the dissolving process, you can warm the sugar in a bowl in the oven before adding it.
Don’t try to make too large a quantity of jam in one go. It will take far too long to come to the boil, and then will not boil rapidly enough to produce a good set.
How to test for a set: at the same time as you begin cooking the fruit, place three or four saucers in the freezing compartment of the fridge. When you have boiled the jam for the given time, remove the pan from the heat and place a teaspoonful of the jam on to one of the chilled saucers. Let it cool back in the fridge, then 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.
Don’t worry about any scum that rises to the surface while the jam is boiling – if you keep skimming it off, you’ll finish with no jam at all! Instead, wait until you have a set, then remove the jam from the heat and stir in a small lump of butter, which will disperse the scum.
Once the jam has set, leave it to settle for 15 minutes or so – particularly with jam containing whole fruit, such as strawberry or damson, or chunky marmalade – to prevent the fruit from rising to the top when it’s poured into the jar. Then pour into clean, dry, hot jars, filling them as near to the top as possible. Straightaway, place a waxed disc over the surface, then seal with a lid. Wipe the jars with a warm, damp cloth.
Don’t put the labels on until the jam is cold – otherwise the heat will prevent them sticking properly and they’ll fall off for sure.
Store in a cool, dry and preferably dark place. Too much light is not good for storage, while a damp or steamy atmosphere can cause mould to develop on the surface of the jam.
If things go wrong: if the jam hasn’t set after cooling and potting, tip it all back into the pan and boil again, adding the juice of a small lemon; if mould develops on the surface of jam in a jar, remove it with a spoon, along with about half an inch (1 cm) of the jam underneath – rest assured, the rest of the jam will not be affected – and place a waxed disc dipped in brandy on top.
FAQs
There are 3 major steps in making and preserving jam: 1) Cooking 2) Setting and 3) Preserving. This sounds pretty simple but there are choices to be made along the way that can have a large impact on the final product.
What is the secret in making jam? ›
Pectin, naturally found in fruit is vital to make your jam set. With low-pectin fruits like strawberries, help them along by either mixing with pectin-rich fruit like gooseberries or by using jam sugar (with added pectin and citric acid).
What is the method of jam preparation? ›
Jam is a product made by boiling fruit pulp with sufficient quantity of sugar to a reasonably thick consistency, firm enough to hold the fruit tissues in position. Apply, sapota, papaya, plums, mango, grapes, jack, pineapple, banana, guava and pears are used for preparation of jam.
Do you seal jam jars when hot? ›
As soon as the preserves are spooned or poured into the sterilised jars or bottles, they must be correctly sealed to prevent deterioration. Fill the hot dry jars right to the top – preserves shrink slightly on cooling and a full jar means less trapped condensation. Seal the jars while still hot.
How to make jelly step by step? ›
Making Jellies Without Added Pectin
- Measure juice and sugar. When a recipe is not available, try using ¾ cups sugar for each 1 cup of juice. ...
- Add sugar to juice. ...
- Test for doneness as instructed below.
- Remove jelly from heat; quickly skim off foam.
- Pour quickly into hot jars, leaving ¼-inch head space.
A jam session is a relatively informal musical event, process, or activity where musicians, typically instrumentalists, play improvised solos and vamp over tunes, drones, songs, and chord progressions.
What is the scientific process of making jam? ›
The process of boiling the jam releases the pectins contains in the fruit, and, with the addition of the correct amount of sugar and acids, the pectins bind to each other via intermolecular interactions to create a gel that is the basis of the jam's consistency.
What is the rule of jam? ›
Suri's Jam Rules outlines 18 rules for participants in a jam session, including being lenient on late starts but strict on early starts, avoiding repetition of words or ideas, staying on topic, using proper grammar and avoiding slang, changing pace or tone, following standard sentence structure, and not wasting time or ...
Should I stir jam while it's boiling? ›
5. Do Not Stir Once Mixture Is Boiling. Once your jam/marmalade it has reached a rapid rolling boil do not stir it. Stirring it will alter the temperature of the jam/marmalade meaning it will take longer to reach the setting point.
Can you boil jam too long? ›
If, on the other hand, the jam is rock solid, that means you've gone too far and cooked it too long. You can try adding a little water to thin it out, but bear in mind that after overcooking a jam, you can't really get those fresh fruit flavors back.
Do not vary the sequence in which the ingredients are added. For example, powdered pectin does not dissolve in a sugared solution, so if you add the sugar and then the dry pectin, the jam will not be firm. Be sure you use a kettle large enough to accommodate the preserves when they are brought to a full rolling boil.
What are the stages of making jam? ›
JAM MAKING METHOD
- COOK THE FRUIT. The first stage, cooking the fruit, softens it and, as we've learned, draws out the pectin. ...
- ADD & DISSOLVE THE SUGAR. Once the fruit is soft, you can add the sugar. ...
- BOIL. ...
- WHEN TO TEST FOR SETTING POINT.
Add pectin.
Whisk a tablespoon of powdered pectin (preferably the no-sugar-needed variety) into the pot of cooking jam. Test for thickness and add another tablespoon if needed. Learn More About Pectin: What's the Deal with Pectin?
How long should jam boil for? ›
The jam must then be cooked over high heat in order to evaporate the water as quickly as possible and harness the power of the natural pectin. (Cooking time can vary, depending on a fruit's water content, but once it's at a rolling boil, expect to cook it for at least 40 to 50 minutes.
How do you properly can homemade jam? ›
5 Steps to Easy Canning and Preserving Fruit
- Wash and cut fruit.
- Sanitize jars (leave lids face up on a clean surface).
- Cook fruit until it sets.
- Fill warm jars with hot jam.
- Close the jars and process them in a water bath.
How to Make Jam the Traditional Way. Making jam by hand is easier than you think. The process involves cooking fruit and sugar in a large pot until it thickens into a beautiful, glossy preserve. But don't get ahead of yourself, it still requires patience as you stir continually and stay alert to avoid scorching.
How do you structure a jam? ›
Keep the first minute or two simple so that everyone can get used to the structure. Once everyone is on the same page the fun can begin. Keep your head up as you play. More often than not, one or two people will emerge as the "leaders" of the jam, keeping everyone on time and noting when people should take solos.
