Basic Jam

3 x 250g jars

2014-08-14 08:23:27

Jam is a mixture of fruit and sugar. The high concentration of sugar prevents the growth of microorganisms and allows the jam to keep for several months, hence the term – preserve. Jam will only set if there are sufficient quantities of pectin, acid and sugar present. Some fruits are naturally rich in pectin and give a good set, while others may have to be boosted with added pectin (commercially purchased – Jam Setter).

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Makes/Serves

3 x 250g jars

Prep Time

45 mins

Cook | Chill | Freeze

1 hr 30 mins

Oven Settings

Fan Forced

Oven Temperature

150°C

Prep Time

45 mins

Cook Time

1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

1kg fruit choose fruits high in pectin (see the Pectin Content of Fruit chart)
750kg suga

Method

Remove skins, seeds, pips and stones from fruit.
Place the fruit in a saucepan with a little of the sugar and cook till the fruit is tender.
Add the remaining sugar and stir through.
When cooking jams, to prevent burning, a large glass marble placed in the pan is better than stirring.
When the sugar is dissolved, cook rapidly until the jam sets when tested.
To determine when the jell-point has been reached, put a little mixture on a very cold plate and draw a path through it with a knife.
If the path stays and the jam doesn"t run together, the jell-point has been reached.
Sterilize the jars and lids in a low oven (150°C) for about 15-20 minutes before filling with jam. Place the lid on immediately and set aside to cool.
Label the jars with type of jam and include the date of bottling.
For a great selection of downloadable preserve label artwork that you can use to print off your own personalised labels, visit www.preservelabels.com.