fruit jams and preserves
Allegra

09/19/03 		Despite following the directions in a couple of good old-fashioned cook books, we have not been successful in getting our fruit jams to jell very well (blackberry and plum). We considered using pectin, but surprisingly, you have to increase the amount of sugar. Is there a way to make thicker jams and still keep the sugar down? Too much sugar hides the flavor of the fresh fruit.
ellen

04/22/04 		You have to use a good portion of underripe/ green fruit! The pectin goes away as berries ripen.

Also be SURE to use your jelly thermometer, not just teh spoon test.

Sharrenm
sharrjen.divadog@shaw.ca
07/16/04 		I am looking for recipes that call for epsom salts for home canning
\I understand that htis can replace pectin for most of fruit jams or preserves
ellen

07/17/04 		This is a new one on me- I will look around for you.
Jo Anne

07/30/04 		How do you make fids perserves
ellen

08/01/04 		My aunt made the best. She peeled yje figs! If you want them to stay whole, you have to cook 2 cups at a time! I Ellen will try to find the email I wrote about this last year-
Harry
htthames@bellsouth.net
10/17/04 		My fig recipe is for 4 pounds of figs, washed and stemmed just enough to remove the stem and none of the fig. In a large pot add 1 cup of water, add the figs and pour over the top 4 pounds of sugar. Set temp on medium low and cover until the juices start to bubble. Remove the cover and very gently lift the figs to turn get them covered with sugar. From that point on you press down with the back of the spoon to “stir”. Slowly simmer the figs for 3 or 4 hours or until they start to cook down. If they are gently cooked and not stirred hard they will retain the shape of whole figs. Pour into prepared jars, seal with lids & rings & process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath for pints & 15 minutes for quarts. Do not readjust the rings / lids after first tightening when filling the jars.

Note: Preserves are a little different.

ellen

10/18/04 		Thanks!
Lana

06/18/05 		Can you make perserves without sugar?
ellen

06/18/05 		You can't, it is the sugar that preserves the fruit by making a gell that is too thick for bacteria to live. However, you can use a commercial pectin to make a lower sugar preserve.
Dave

07/07/05 		Please, Can someone point me in the direction of recipes for large quantity jams and jelly?
Have been making the standard spreads for years but am thinking of a small business to fill demand.