Jams and Jellies
All jams/jellies contain the four essential ingredients needed to make a jellied fruit product–fruit, pectin, acid and sugar.
Pectin is the actual gelling substance and is a naturally occurring carbohydrate in fruit that is concentrated in the fruit's skin and the core. The amount of pectin varies in fruits depending upon the kind of fruit and degree of ripeness. Under-ripe fruits have more pectin; as fruit ripens, the pectin changes to a non-gelling form. Usually using 1⁄4 under-ripe fruit to 3⁄4 fully-ripe fruit makes the best product. Cooking brings out the pectin, but cooking too long destroys it.
When dissolved and let cool, Pectin forms invisible strands that hold liquid in. Acid (such as lemon juice) helps draw even more Pectin out of fruit when it is heated. Water is attracted to sugar. Adding sugar causes some water to be drawn to the sugar molecules, leaving the Pectin molecules free to more easily get at and bind with each other, setting the preserve.
High pectin fruits are apples, crab apples, quinces, red currants, gooseberries, grapes, plums and cranberries. Any citrus fruit peel is also very high in Pectin.
Low pectin fruits are strawberries, blueberries, peaches, apricots, cherries, pears, raspberries, blackberries and pineapple.
Low-pectin fruits should be combined with one of the high-pectin fruits or with a commercial pectin. When a commercial pectin is added, fully ripe fruit can be used.
All jams/jellies contain the four essential ingredients needed to make a jellied fruit product–fruit, pectin, acid and sugar.
Pectin is the actual gelling substance and is a naturally occurring carbohydrate in fruit that is concentrated in the fruit's skin and the core. The amount of pectin varies in fruits depending upon the kind of fruit and degree of ripeness. Under-ripe fruits have more pectin; as fruit ripens, the pectin changes to a non-gelling form. Usually using 1⁄4 under-ripe fruit to 3⁄4 fully-ripe fruit makes the best product. Cooking brings out the pectin, but cooking too long destroys it.
When dissolved and let cool, Pectin forms invisible strands that hold liquid in. Acid (such as lemon juice) helps draw even more Pectin out of fruit when it is heated. Water is attracted to sugar. Adding sugar causes some water to be drawn to the sugar molecules, leaving the Pectin molecules free to more easily get at and bind with each other, setting the preserve.
High pectin fruits are apples, crab apples, quinces, red currants, gooseberries, grapes, plums and cranberries. Any citrus fruit peel is also very high in Pectin.
Low pectin fruits are strawberries, blueberries, peaches, apricots, cherries, pears, raspberries, blackberries and pineapple.
Low-pectin fruits should be combined with one of the high-pectin fruits or with a commercial pectin. When a commercial pectin is added, fully ripe fruit can be used.
For Pectin
The scraps are where the pectin concentration is highest. If you’re using lots of peels and cores, try to add at least a few whole apples, since the flavor will be better.
Bring the pot to a high boil and reduce to a simmer, uncovered. Stir periodically. Cook until thoroughly soft. This stage can take a minimum of an hour but probably more like two to three hours. Strain first through a sieve to get the juice, then filter the juice; either through a drip coffee filter, or through a piece of clean cloth put into a colander.
If your pectin fails the alcohol test below, transfer your pectin stock to a clean pot and bring it back up to a boil over high heat. The goal is to reduce the pectin so that it’s concentrated enough to use. Test your pectin periodically using the alcohol test. If you’re using lots of whole apples, you may need to reduce your liquid up to 50 percent or more. If you’re producing from mostly peels and cores, you may find that you don’t have to do any additional reduction at all.
Citrus seeds and the inner white membranes are also a great source of pectin—and one usually relegated to the compost bin. Citrus pectin’s flavor can be more pronounced than apple pectin due to the slight bitterness of the pith. To make citrus pectin, boil hulls and seeds as you would when using apples and test the pectin the same way in the alcohol.
Test for pectin: Add 1 teaspoon of fruit/juice to 1 tablespoon of rubbing alcohol. To mix, stir or shake gently in a closed container so all the juice comes in contact with the alcohol. DO NOT TASTE–the mixture is poisonous. Fruit high in pectin will form a solid jelly-like mass that can be picked up with a fork. If the juice clumps into several small particles, there is not enough pectin for jelly. If it is not clumping return to boil and reduce liquid. Try test again.
To use with low Pectin fruits, use 4 to 6 tablespoons per cup of mashed fruit and 3/4 cup to 1 cup of sugar (6 oz to 8 oz / 180g to 225g) for a loose set and/or naturally high-pectin fruits and work your way up to a full cup of pectin per cup of fruit (for a hard set and/or low-pectin fruits). Keep track of the amount of pectin you’ve used, because you need the final ratio of pectin to sugar to fall between 1:1 and 5:7, depending on the amount of pectin already in what you’re making and how hard you want your set to be.
You can freeze this Pectin, or jar it and process in a water bath for 15 minutes for shelf storage.
- 1 pound (450g) of sliced crab or other apples, sour/green preferred (washed)
- 1 1/2 cups water (12 oz) or enough water to just cover
The scraps are where the pectin concentration is highest. If you’re using lots of peels and cores, try to add at least a few whole apples, since the flavor will be better.
Bring the pot to a high boil and reduce to a simmer, uncovered. Stir periodically. Cook until thoroughly soft. This stage can take a minimum of an hour but probably more like two to three hours. Strain first through a sieve to get the juice, then filter the juice; either through a drip coffee filter, or through a piece of clean cloth put into a colander.
If your pectin fails the alcohol test below, transfer your pectin stock to a clean pot and bring it back up to a boil over high heat. The goal is to reduce the pectin so that it’s concentrated enough to use. Test your pectin periodically using the alcohol test. If you’re using lots of whole apples, you may need to reduce your liquid up to 50 percent or more. If you’re producing from mostly peels and cores, you may find that you don’t have to do any additional reduction at all.
Citrus seeds and the inner white membranes are also a great source of pectin—and one usually relegated to the compost bin. Citrus pectin’s flavor can be more pronounced than apple pectin due to the slight bitterness of the pith. To make citrus pectin, boil hulls and seeds as you would when using apples and test the pectin the same way in the alcohol.
Test for pectin: Add 1 teaspoon of fruit/juice to 1 tablespoon of rubbing alcohol. To mix, stir or shake gently in a closed container so all the juice comes in contact with the alcohol. DO NOT TASTE–the mixture is poisonous. Fruit high in pectin will form a solid jelly-like mass that can be picked up with a fork. If the juice clumps into several small particles, there is not enough pectin for jelly. If it is not clumping return to boil and reduce liquid. Try test again.
To use with low Pectin fruits, use 4 to 6 tablespoons per cup of mashed fruit and 3/4 cup to 1 cup of sugar (6 oz to 8 oz / 180g to 225g) for a loose set and/or naturally high-pectin fruits and work your way up to a full cup of pectin per cup of fruit (for a hard set and/or low-pectin fruits). Keep track of the amount of pectin you’ve used, because you need the final ratio of pectin to sugar to fall between 1:1 and 5:7, depending on the amount of pectin already in what you’re making and how hard you want your set to be.
You can freeze this Pectin, or jar it and process in a water bath for 15 minutes for shelf storage.