Sugar free jams

[Jessie]

Is it possible to make jam without using sugar? Anyone have a recipe?

[Jessie]

thanks Wardy, might have to do a google myself, I prefer to use tried and tested recipes but will resort to google if I must.

[Jessie]

Wardy you don't know what you're missing, homemade raspberry jam, delicious! And the marrow and ginger jam is lovely too.

[Svea]

i second the pumpkin and ginger concoction. absolutely delish :p
in fact, i made some just last weekend - needs to rest for about a month before consuming it - to give away as xmas pressies.

[Derekthefox]

My daughter would appreciate knowing about sugar free/low sugar jams, as she is diabetic. So I am watching these posts with interest ...

Derekthefox

[Jessie]

That's why I'm asking Derek, my 4 yr old daughter has recently been diagnosed type 1 so this sugar free thing is all new to me. It seems a shame all those jams I made ealier in the year she can't eat now and I'd really like to make something that she can also have next year.

[Derekthefox]

Awww sorry to hear that Crazy Daisy, it is upsetting for a 4 year old too, with the blood tests and injections. No doubt you are becoming very knowledgeable on all the foodstuffs at the local supermarkets. We only ever use halfspoon and fructose now, so I have to buy in all my sugar for winemaking.

Derekthefox

[Jessie]

I'm still learning all that stuff Derek, the dietician just said to use sweeteners in place of sugar. But me being me I decided to research the sweeteners first and have come to the conclusion that I don't want to go anywhere near aspartame. I'm still undecided about Splenda (sucralose) but that's the best option I've found so far. How do you buy fructose? Isn't it still a sugar though so would have to be used sparingly?

[Svea]

it is a sugar but different from the 'normal' stuff - gets converted differently in the body. beware of using a lot though - it gives you VERY active digestion otherwise

my dad also likes chocolate made with maltit - a different sugar again. somethig to do with whether the sugar spins left or right (on a molecular level). he lives in germany where they seem to have more choice about these things though....
(FRANKONIA/PEA/HOLEX - Schokoladenwerke GmbH
Diet and no sugar added (maltit) chocolates and biscuits, sugar free candy)

i am off there soon and can bring back some chocolate for your daughter if you like.

[Jessie]

Svea, that's a very kind offer, thank you. I tried to do a google on maltit but it's all in German which I don't read too well. Are there any health concerns about maltit, for example like there are with aspartame?

I also found out about a herb grown in south america called Stevia, I believe it's banned in this country (sounds more for political reasons than anything else) but sounds like it could be a very useful substitute for sugar.

[Melbourne12]

I'm not sure that I can help with jam recipes that are literally sugar free, but we often make "freezer jam" which is very low sugar.

Typically you take 3 parts by weight of fruit to one part of sugar.  The amount of sugar is "to taste".  You need less for apricots or strawberries, more for greengages or gooseberries.  Add some liquid pectin, and a little water if necessary.  Heat very gently in a saucepan, or, better, in a microwave.  The microwave method has less tendency to scorch.

You don't need to cook the jam to setting point as you do with conventional jams, but merely until the fruit is sterilised and the sugar dissolved.  Let it cool, and pack in small pots and freeze.  To use, thaw it out, and keep it in the fridge until it's all used up.  Don't thaw too much at once or it'll go mouldy.

We started doing this not for dietary reasons, but simply because the conventional recipes are too sticky and sweet.  We found we were making jam to store for a year and then throw away - even small children have a limited capacity for jam!  Freezer jams taste of fruit and are much more delicious.

Since the sugar is there to sweeten the fruit rather than to act as a preservative, I'm sure you could use Splenda or other sweeteners at least in part.  I wouldn't use only sweeteners, though, because the sugar also contributes to the jammy texture.  Oh, and sweeteners are jolly expensive to use in quantity.

Edit: I've just remembered that freezer jam is ace to add to plain yoghurt.  Beats your "Muller Corner" into a cocked hat. 

[Jessie]

oooh, thanks for that! I'll definitely give that a try next year and will play around with the ratio of sugar:sweetner. I'm not too worried about the expense because my daughter doesn't eat a lot of jam so she could have the freezer one and I'll still make conventional jams for the rest of us to use.

[Svea]

that sounds like a good solution - i had heard of but not thought of the freezer jam for this one.
i know fridge jam - the same thing only you just make a small portion which you consume pretty much straight away.

melbourne, i sometimes find my jams too sweet, too. other times not. when i reduce the sugar levels though the stuff doesnt set as well - my husband makes a joke about me not being able to make jam  (only for reduced sugar ones though). even jam sugar with added pectin doesnt have the necessary pizzazz

jesse, i have not heard of maltit being controversial in any way. i will find out more for you though...

[Jessie]

Svea, that would be lovely, thank you

[Derekthefox]

I have just googled, and realised that 'half spoon' sugar contains aspartame ...

Derekthefox

[Jessie]

that's right Derek, personally I won't touch the stuff after reading what has appeared in the press about it. You need to read labels as well, I bought the kids a bag of those monster munch type chips/crisps, the worcestershire sauce flavoured ones, they contain aspartame as well, now I read the labels you'll be surprised what contains it.

[Svea]

more info on maltit:

from a german website:
Maltit (E965), is a sugar exchange material that is won by chemically-enzymatic hydrogenation out of potato starch or corn starch.  The substance possesses comparable characteristics to Isomalt.  Other labels are Malbit® or Lycasin® (Maltitsyrup). 

Maltit is less sweet than  household sugar and contains about only half as many calories.  Because consumption leads only to a very slight climb of the blood sugar and insulin mirror, Maltit is suitable for diabetics.  However, Maltit must be included by diabetics into the daily allowance calculation.

In daily doses of more than 30-50 g (adult) or 20 g (children), diarrhea or flatulence can appear. 

Maltit is used among other things for desserts of all type, ice cream, jams, fruit preparations, chewing gum, candy, mustard.  Maltit and sweetener frequently are combined in order to cover its metallic flavor


from an american source:
Maltitol (E965)
A polyhydric alchohol produced by hydrogenation of maltose normally used as a bulk sweetener.

Can be found in breakfast cereals, chewing gum, cocoa based products, desserts, ice cream, jams, jellies, mustard, sauces and sweets, normally with the description 'no added sugar'

[Jessie]

Thanks Svea, I'll do some more reading later.

[Svea]

since isomalt was mentioned in the above article, see here:
http://www.caloriecontrol.org/isomalt.html
(read beyond the 'oh it's so good for your health' blah as it explains further down exactly how it is used and broken down in the body.

[sussexcliff]

I'm in to jam next year, however I make my own marmalade because all the standard ones are far too sweet.

I use 'Marmade' and rather than their recommended sugar content I use half, reducing it to about 35%-40% sugar.

I shred and then cook lemons the day before, leaving the result over night starts to get the pectin released and I add this to the Marmade. the pectin apparently is in the white flesh and skin.

It takes about three days for the marmalade to set.

From previous gardens raspberry jam seems the easiest to get to set, but remember the French do 'Conserve' which is closer to cooked fruit than our jam. Superb for greengage (Reine Claude) and Apricot and brilliant with fresh rolls or toast for breakfast.