These articles cover the basic methods and rules for making jams, jellies and marmalades. Once you have mastered these, it is far easier to adapt and alter recipes for your own tastes.
The first people to record some of their methods were the Romans and they are known to have made jams to keep fruit for the winter. Fruit preserves are mentioned in Apicus or “On the subject of cooking” by Marcus Gavius Apicius.
Following the fall and the dark ages in Europe we don’t see any references to jam until the Crusaders return from the middle east where it was still made.
It is possible to make jam using honey and other sweeteners but sugar is more convenient. When sugar first began to be imported from the colonies to Britain it was incredibly expensive but as the price fell it began to be used to make jams.
Don’t forget, apart from drying, it was the only way to preserve fruit for most people.
This article and the accompanying articles cover the basic method for making jams and jelly preserves. Once you understand the basic process following individual recipes becomes easier .
The good news for someone starting out making their own jam...
Fruit
Choose fruit which is dry, sound and not over ripe. Fruit which is wet or damaged can cause the jam to go moldy and over ripe fruit lacks pectin and acid so the jam will not set properly
The fruit should be thoroughly softened by simmering to...
The good news for someone starting out making their own jam is that you can get away with using the equipment you're likely to have in your kitchen anyway. It's when you start making a lot of preserves that some specialist equipment really comes into...
Marmalade making is very similar to jam making but the rind needs much longer cooking so more water is required. The fruit is simmered until the rind is soft and the volume of liquid has reduced by about half.
Jelly marmalades are made in the...
Pectin is the main agent that causes jams, jellys and marmalades to set. Pectin is known as a gelling agent. Different fruits contain different amounts of pectin and that pectin level will also vary according to the season and also the ripeness of the...
Pectin is what is known as a gelling agent, in other words it causes things to gel or our jam to set. It occurs naturally in some fruits and is absent in others so we need to keep that in mind when making our jams and add as necessary.
You can...
Since we started making jams and preserves there have been two major developments in kitchen technology. The microwave oven which can be used to make jam and automatic jam making machines or bread makers which can also make jam.
Microwave Jams
Although...
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The first people to record some of their methods were the Romans and they are known to have made jams to keep fruit for the winter. Fruit preserves are mentioned in Apicus or “On the subject of cooking” by Marcus Gavius Apicius.
