Morning all,
My hubby decided to strip an entire plum tree of it's fruit at the weekend, so like the dutiful wife I am :tongue3: I set to making tonnes of plum jam.
Last years batch was delicious, this years... Still as tasty, but runny as hell :BangHead:
I didn't add pectin, as I didn't need it last year, but from reading up I think I can rescue the entire batch by re-boiling it and adding some pectin. BUT, where do I get it from?! I've checked all the local shops, and the big supermarkets, but can't find any. Is it something that I'm going to have to get online?
Can anyone help before I have to dump an entire tree worth of jam :-(
Mrs M x
I've never ever used pectin for any jam. If it is harder to set, I add the juice of one or two lemons, and it gets there in the end, sometimes with a good rolling boil, sometimes with a long slow simmer. I would certainly grit my teeth, and tip the lot back into the pan and boil up. Put a plate in the freezer, and just keep testing little bits. When it wrinkles well when pushed, it is ready. Good luck!
I saw bottles of liquid pectin in Lakeland. I think it was called Certo? You can also get sachets, powder, in Asda made by Silver Spoon.
Amazon sell Certo and also powdered pectin.
Our experience of reboiling jam hasn't always been a happy one. It tends to caramelise, which rather overpowers the fresh fruit flavours.
A--A T---O and S------YS sell it
An apple in the mix will give you pectin. Not too much needed so it still tastes like plum jam.
Sainsburys and Tesco do Certo... But I use lemons and a couple of apples.. Just reboil it and add your choice or all the stuff described.. Warning you may end up with toffee :toothy10: :toothy10:
Seriously dont over boil it or it will go dark and never set. Add lemon 2 x juice and re-boil for 10 min should see it right.
You can take windfall apples, as green and unripe as you can find, cut them into small pieces (skin on, but no pips) and boil them hard in as little liquid as you can, barely covering them. Strain through muslin (or kitchen sieve, it doesn't really matter). It sounds wrong to add more liquid but this very concentrated green apple juice is similar to commercial liquid Certo in bottles. I make a batch and freeze portions in an ice cube tray, then take out a couple cubes at a time. The rest stays frozen in cubes in the freezer for next time. Good luck.
Every year has different weather and that causes differences in the fruit's own pectin content. If jam did set last year that does not mean it will this year. Just one of those variables nature throws at us :happy7:
Thanks everyone.
I'm going to give the lemon juice/apples a bash today. As well as trying to make use of 5kg of bramleys... Apple pie anyone :tongue3:
Certo is the one but...the two types are used very differently so be careful you get the right one. The powdered one is put in when you put the sugar and fruit together right in the beginning. The liquid one is used differently, it goes in right at the end and boiled for just 1 minute, it cuts down on all the long cooking time. If redoing jam I would use the liquid one.
XX Jeannine
I always throw in a handful of crab apples (contain more pectin than regular apples) and the juice of one or two lemons to get Autumn jams to set properly. I've had bad results with Certo in the past - don't know why - but it's only ever been with earlier summer fruits - strawberries and cherries.
A good setting test is the old fashioned plate in the fridge - drop a bit of the boiling jam on it from time to time and then put it back in the fridge for a couple of minutes ... if it comes out solid and with a skin on the drop when you push it, you are at setting point.