Is it best to make jam with ripe or less ripe fruit? Or does it not matter?
Well for setting. Always sets better with slightly under ripe fruit .
I've just made loads of plum jam with both ripe and under ripe fruit.
Set like a dream. What jam are u making?
Made bramble jelly and just incase the pectin was low I put 1lb of sugar with pectin in, it set lovely will be making greengage soon and raspberry they set fine :wave
According to wisdom any fruit with a high pectin content is good for jam and those that don't have a lot of pectin can be helped along by using jam sugar (added pectin) and a squeeze of lemon juice.
when making plum jam wild or other wise I always cook the jam with the stones and then whilst the jam is still hot I let it drop through the bottom of a stainless steel steamer from Lakeland so separating the stones from the jam and then pour it into a large measuring jug and the I put into jars.
works a treat.
I usually make Mirrabelle plum Jam but this year the trees I rely on had no fruit - they were fine in 2012 when many other fruit trees failed - go figure mother nature.
Nora
I scooped the stones out which is quite easy when cooked.
Made both wild and Victoria plum jam
Just made some raspberry jam and don't think it set really even after 30 mins boiling! The fruit was very ripe and I didn't use jam sugar (although I've used the same recipe in previous years with more success).
So far, I've done strawberry, raspberry, blackcurrant and now elderberry, I added some lemon juice and redcurrants to the strawberry and pectin to the elder. Sorry your jam didn't set properly, caroline. Must've been a bit too ripe ?
Damsons next :toothy10:
For some reason the smell of damsons cooking makes me queesy:(
It doesn't get a good set if the fruit is over ripe, but you could redo it and add Certo to the mix, XX Jeannine
It's actually turned out fine- just didn't wrinkle when I tested it for some reason.