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To save another thread going off topic I just wanted to say that if you are having trouble with jam etc not setting then there is a great product called Jam Setta. It is basically Pectin and Citric acid. I use it frequently because I use less sugar than most people when making jam etc. The traditional ratio is equal sugar to weight of fruit ie 50/50 but for me that's too sweet.
If you have any other tips, recipes or suggestions feel free to post!
Another tip: if you use baby food jars (glass ones with round metal lids) then these are GREAT for sterilizing and using for jam making. After you pour in the boiling jam pop on the lid then let them cool. When they are cold you will see that the sealing indicator in the middle of the lid has been sucked down. When it's time to open the jar it will give a satisfying "pop" to prove that the contents are safe. They are also the perfect size to give out to friends.
To finish them off for gifts I buy some gingham (check fabric) and using pinking shears cut circles to attach to the lid. They look so pretty tied with a little satin bow. Making labels is quite easy too... lots of pre-designed ones on the 'net. One Christmas I made a huge batch of jams and lemon butter and did this. The most expensive part was the sugar! It really was a worthwhile exercise.
Bath, I have a little cross stitch patterns somewhere that are for putting on jams etc - they looked so cute all done up like that.
oooh yes Trill! I have some cross stitch patterns for the tops of jams too! They are definitely a "must do" at some stage... but only for friends/family who appreciate the work that goes into it...and who might end up framing them ;) Or turning them into coasters (you can buy nice wooden ones with glass to protect the needlework). Is that a bit un-generous of me? LOL
No not at all LOL, I would be loathe to do all that for someone who would just toss it when they are finished with it too.
Ooh thank you for this thread Bath! Says she the original setting-challenged marmalade maker!
What are your fave flavours? So far I think the ruby grapefruit and rose petal is my favourite. It sets reasonably well too because grapefruit have a lot of pith.
Now there is a good point -where can I get jars from? I don't use many jars to begin with, so don't get empty ones often and nobody to save them for me...can you buy small jam jars online or something?
I want to do some preserved fruits...
Hey Alexis
Don't know if you are heading to perth anytime soon, but I have bought some jars from a company called Plasdene (they are in canning vale).
I got mine at a catering supplies shop. They were about $1.30 each from memory.
Aceness :) Thanks girls!
This is my project for NEXT year Christmas. Making preserves .. grandma style.
If you want to do proper conserves then you really need a good set of vacola jars. Otherwise you can just reuse ordinary jars - jam jars, sauces (kantong, leggos pasta sauces etc). You can use the lids that come with them, but for years and years my nan only ever used parafin wax to seal them and then covered with plastic held in place with a rubber band.
Yep, you can use any jar that has a metal lid that seals properly... ideally with a seal indicator. You can't use jars that have plastic lids. Remember to boil them first for at least 10 minutes. Drip dry them upturned on clean cake racks on the cleaned sink, DON'T use a tea towel on the inside of the jars. Better for a tiny bit of boiled water to be inside as you pour in the boiling jam than germs introduced by fingers or a tea-towel. This is how I do it anyhow. I love the sight of rows of cooling jarred jams etc.
ETA: invest in a good set of metal tongs... long ones... to get the jars out of the boiling water... use a clean oven mit to transfer them to the racks. Try to pour in the jam using a sterilised metal funnel as soon as possible. ETA: alternatively (especially if you are short on water) you can wash the jars in warm soapy water, rinse, then sterilise in a hot (200'C) oven for 10 minutes.
Or use an electric steriliser - the one you use for your baby bottles! That's what I do :redface:
Lids only have a 2 or 3 uses in them. You can buy more, even the ones with the seal indicator, it is just a matter of working out the sizing. Have received the odd jar from family that was bad due to old lids, so I am a bit cautious about them now.
Ah ok! I'll keep that in mind regarding the limited use of lids!
Bath I found that too when reusing jars, especially using the oven method - the seal part dries out too much. That's why nan always used the wax to seal hers because she kept the same jars for years. I remember when we were kids we would always load up on jams, chutneys and pickles when visiting them and then we would take all the jars back with us next time we visited LOL.
I must try sealing wax! One of the independant supermarkets sells it.
yeah it should be easy enough to get at a supermarket - you can also get the rings for your jars too. Not sure if you could get them in any old supermarket down there in inner Melbourne LOL, but where I am loads of people still make their own preserves and jams and there is a whole section dedicated to it at my local IGA.
Bath, just wondering what proportion of sugar you use? Am thinking of doing some strawberry jam with DD1 soon - just so she can learn to love the process as well ;) - but don't want to use the 50/50 ratio. I'd rather let the flavour of the fruit do the work.
MD: I tend to gauge it depending on the quality and sweetness of the fruit. Roughly I do 40/60 (40 sugar, 60 fruit). But I use Jam Setta which helps the setting process.
Also, with berries like strawberries... be careful no to over cook or you will loose the lovely colour (and it will go a burgundy brown). The trick is to constantly check the consistency by using a cold saucer to drip test. The minute it looks right turn the heat off. The jam will continue to cook in the pot for a while even though the heat is off because it holds so much heat (especially if it's a large quantity). IYKWIM. It's hard to say hard-and-fast rules for jam making... it's kinda intuitive. But yummo! Hope it turns out beautiful! :D
Thanks Bath. I'll try the 40/60 thing. I've overcooked in the past (plum jam) and it turned out way too set but luckily the colour didn't matter (blood plums). So I'll go gently with the strawbs. Just waiting for a really good fragrant batch then I'll pounce!
Ooooh Jam Setta :cheer: I need some! I made my first ever "jam" yesterday and its more like a strawberry syrup - but the colour is just awesome! Its so easy, I really had put off doing it because I tought it would be a mammoth effort!
It seems you can get the Jam Setta, Plastic jam jar covers & the parafin wax all at Coles. I have just been doing online shopping with them and found them all there.