Anyone successfully made a nice jam?

[Ceee]

I made some plum jam last summer and was distressed to only be blessed with a saucy mixture. A few weeks ago I made orange marmalade and the same thing happened. I was feeling rather down. Last Friday, after catching a delicious whiff of the beautiful strawberry jam that a friend made, I decided to try again, as there are so many strawberries around at the moment. I used the recipe from the EDC, 250 g fruit to 250 g sugar and 1 lemon, and after the cooking time was up I was a little concerned. I amped up the heat to Varoma for 10 minutes and Voila! beautiful strawberry jam! Since then I have made another batch, the Kiwi and Banana jam from the My way of Cooking Book, and last night decided to try the same method as with the strawberries using apricots. This also resulted in beautiful if a bit tart apricot jam. I think for sweetness the key is to choose the ripest possible fruit, even a little over-ripe will be preferable. I have not used a jam-setter at all or special sugar, just ordinary sugar. I have a diabetic husband, what should I do to cater for his dietary needs? Cook longer but with less sugar, and if so what ration?

[quirkycooking]

Hi Ceee, I make my jam based on the recipe in My Way of Cooking (here's my variation) and I use natural sweeteners.  I only use a little bit of sweetener too, not half and half.  I would use agave syrup for a sweetener for a diabetic-friendly jam - or you could use whatever sweetener you usually use in cooking for your husband.  It doesn't matter how you sweeten it, if you use agar-agar - it works any way.  And it only takes 8 mins per 500g!

[RoxyS]

Chookie, do you have a recipe for pineapple jam. I used to buy it in winter when the supermarkets would stock it but can't get it anymore and really love it. You mentioned making it so would love it if you could share the recipe please. I haven't made a lot of jam - used to make it in my breadmachine when we had a supply of fresh strawberries but haven't made any in the TMX so will have to have a go.

[debetha]

Made great marmalade & mango jam using recipes fro this forum. 2 big thumbs up for both. Next time I do the marmalade I would cut the rind more thinly as suggested in EEC cookbook, as the only criticism I have with the one I made is that the chunks of rind are a bit too chunky. But less fiddly! Both with regular sugar.
Did Bron's mango jam on Friday & served it with nay nays scones - massive hit! Oven sterilized the jars & poured the hot jam into the hot jars, and even got the vacuum bit on the jar lids to depress. So hopefully my 2nd bottle will store well, if it doesn't get eaten first!! Reckon the mango jam would work well on yoghurt too. 
Does anyone use wax discs for the jam, and where do you get them from? Always worry about reusing jar lids as they seem to age a bit. I know there is a website for new jar lids somewhere..

[judydawn]

Is this the one you were thinking of debetha?  http://www.greenlivingaustralia.com.au/jars.html

[debetha]

Yes jd was going to google it when I needed some more! iPad harder to navigate than regular computer but easier to turn on.  So cant cut & paste links as easily as worry I will loose the thread!
Thanks!
Deb

[achookwoman]

Roxy, sorry I missed your inquiry  about the pineapple jam.   I just popped pealed and cored pineapple into the TMX bowl and zapped it a bit,  so that there were small bits.   I then put  to 3/4 of the amount of pineapple in volume ,  of sugar in and zapped on reverse to incorporate.   The cooked for about 30 mins. until set.   I think I probably added 1/2 a packet of jamsetta.   DH just loves this jam.   Sorry I am not more precise,  but I just make jam from what ever and fiddle with it until it is ok.

[Merlin]

Made some strawberry jam using the EDC recipe the other day which turned out delicious. I had also heard that strawberry jam is notoriously difficult to set, so just to be sure, I used 1/2 packet of Jamsetta and the results were fine. I guess if the jam turns out more like a sauce you can always use it for other things ie as a dessert sauce over icecream etc.

[achookwoman]

Made Mango and Lime, Lime and Carrot and Lemon.   The Lime set up too firm so I tipped some water in for a better consistency.   Next time I will add some apple pulp to the lime to balance the flavors a bit.

[achookwoman]

Making Apple Jelly today.  Anyone interested in recipe and process?

[Cuilidh]

A good reliable jelly recipe would be great - looks like I'll be making grape jelly as well as apple jelly this season.  Would I be right in assuming that the process for grape jelly would be the same as the process for apple jelly?

Thanks.

[Shiraz49]

Please post the apple jelly recipe.

[Very Happy Jan]

Making Apple Jelly today.  Anyone interested in recipe and process?

Yes please Chookie. My grandmother used to make apple jelly Yummo

[cookie1]

I've never tasted apple jelly so I had better make some.

[Merlin]

Has anyone else used the jam setting sugar that CSR makes?  it has added pectin. I did another batch of strawberry jam using this sugar as well as 1/4 packet of Jamsetta and bingo- no issues! Mind you, my first ever batch of strawberry jam in the TM was very sauce-like, so I used it as a sauce for desserts such as over ice-cream. I also gave some jars of it to friends and family. It tasted absolutely divine but I told them all to use it like a sauce, which they did and they all loved it. Basically, I don't consider a jam that turns out to be thnner than expected a failure as it still would taste great and you can  always invent some other use for it.