The time of the jams


The time of the jams
We are well into summer as I write this, and this is the time when most of the fruit is giving or about to give in full.

And for many of us, it will also be the time for jams and jellies, one of the best ways to preserve fruit for the next winter.
24 K 4.5/5 (23 reviews)
Grade this page:
Keywords for this post:JamJellySummerFruitSugarGelling agentSyrup
Last modified on: July 12th 2021
For this post: Comment Follow Send to a friend
The time of the jams
In principle, jam is very simple, you mix sugar and fruits in variable proportions, and you cook it until it thickens.
For jelly, it's the same except that instead of fruit you use fruit juice or pulp only.

Some important points


The quality of the fruits


fruits pour confiture


It is necessary to start well the process and not to make a mistake, good jam = beautiful fruits at the beginning, it would be a mistake to use fruits a little neutral in taste, or a little spoiled, thinking that in the jam it will pass.
It's almost the opposite, you need very nice/good fruits to make a very good jam.
Later, when you prepare your fruits, systematically eliminate all the spoiled or weak parts, you must keep only the best of the fruits.

The sugar-fruit ratio


The more sugar you put in, the more easily it takes, but the less it tastes like fruit.
Commercial jams, for example, are generally very sweet, probably too much so, because sugar is much cheaper than fruit, and it's a question of money as usual.
A 50% fruit 50% sugar is already very good, but at home you can reduce it to 40% sugar (the ideal rate for me).
This sugar rate is also a question of taste, but also of time, jams now are much less sweet than in the past, and it's a good thing, an apricot jam for example, should have a very clear apricot taste, and not a sweet taste with an apricot background.

The syrup

sucre et fruits sirop de fruits


You can cook the sugar/fruit mixture directly, adding a little water to thin it out, but this is not a very good option as the water will have to be boiled off afterwards.
There is a much better solution, which I already told you about in a previous article, which is to put the chopped fruits and the sugar together for at least 4 hours, or one night, and the whole thing forms a syrup (the hygroscopic side of the sugar) which can be cooked directly.

Thickening

épaississement


To obtain a jam, it is a mixture which thickens, just enough...
To obtain this thickening, there are 2 ways :

- The old way, used by our grandmothers, which consists in cooking the mixture, (very) long to bring the sugar to 110°C, temperature where it thickens the whole mixture.
- The more modern way is to use a gelling agent: pectin, agar-agar, gelatine... which are active at 100°C or even lower.

The old method, long cooking, which may seem "natural", has the big defect of reducing the taste of fruits, especially with delicate fruits like strawberries for example.
The new method allows a short cooking, we bring to boil, we add the gelling agent (the famous"Vit'pris" in France which is apple pectin) and after 2 or 3 minutes of boiling the jam is ready.

As for me, I'm an unconditional fan of the use of the gelling agent, pectin, which is neutral in taste, and it's very efficient to make a good jam or jelly.

The sterilization


pots retournés pots à l'endroit


Once the jam is ready, you have to put it in a jar, it is not very complicated, but it is very important to make sure that the inside of the jar remains sterile.
And for that, there is a very effective trick: Pour the burning jam in the jar, close it and turn it upside down (take gloves), wait 1 minute, then put it back.
By doing this, the air in the jar will pass through the burning jam and become sterilized, so you will have jam jars that can easily be kept for several months, and out of the fridge.

Here are some tracks for your future jams, can you enjoy the beautiful fruits of the summer to come.

To sum up: For good jams, choose beautiful fruits, make a syrup, cook a little (with a gelling agent), and sterilize your jars by turning them over.

Lasts posts
Travel cakes
Travel cakes
You may have come across the term "travel cakes" ("gateaux de voyage" in french) for certain pastries, so let's take a look at what they're all about.
January 27th 20252,350
The aromatic power of sugar
The aromatic power of sugar
In the kitchen, sugar doesn't just sweeten, it also has an exceptional ability to capture flavors. Combined with aromatic ingredients, such as citrus zest, it acts as a veritable sponge for aromas. By taking the time to let the sugar soak up the flavors, you can transform your desserts, making...
December 25th 20242,7175
The little trap of thick cream
The little trap of thick cream
When you need to add cream to a recipe, you might be wondering: thick (heavy) cream or liquid cream? In most cases, there's no big difference: you can use either. But there is one exception, and that's when the cream needs to be cooked, for a sauce for example, and here the difference between...
December 13th 20243,1965
Sauce and salad: When and how to mix them?
Sauce and salad: When and how to mix them?
When dressing a salad, there's a kind of golden rule: add the dressing very shortly before serving, especially if your salad contains crunchy elements such as croutons or fresh vegetables, which will retain their crunchiness or crispiness. But, as is often the case in the kitchen, there are...
November 29th 20243,3345
No need to boil gelatin
No need to boil gelatin
Gelatin is a magical ingredient for making light, creamy, structured desserts, yet it's often misused in the kitchen. A common mistake in some recipes is the idea that it needs to be boiled for it to work properly, but this is a mistake indeed: gelatin melts at a much lower temperature, around...
November 21th 20243,2865
Other pages you may also like
The so-called "nervous" meats
The so-called "nervous" meats
You've probably heard this before, we're talking about "nervous" meat, or meat with nerves, to describe what is indicated by the blue arrow on the left. This is a piece of beef, and what we call a nerve is not a nerve, it is in fact collagen (chemists sometimes call it a "collagen sink"), a...
April 16th 202130 K4.5
The return of the "Norman hole"
The return of the "Norman hole"
You maybe know the "trou normand", this old gastronomic custom typically French which consists in taking a (small) glass of calvados, generally between the last course and the dessert? It's something that seems a bit anachronistic nowadays, having a glass of an alcohol of more than 60° in the...
December 18th 202110 K4.8
How to break eggs properly?
How to break eggs properly?
It is a very common gesture in pastry, bakery and of course cooking: breaking eggs to incorporate them into a recipe. You have eggs (which professionals call "shell eggs" to differentiate them from liquid eggs in cartons or cans), and you must break them to incorporate the contents into your...
June 26th 202111 K4.8
Remove bones from fish
Remove bones from fish
Let's talk about fish: It's not a scoop, it's much more pleasant to eat fish from which all the bones have been carefully removed, even if it's a rather painful and time-consuming job, the result is worthy of your efforts. Here are some important points to keep in mind.
October 16th 202110 K5
Cream and sauces
Cream and sauces
Have you ever wondered why making beautiful tasty sauces is so easy when you use cream? .
October 15th 201219 K4.4
Post a comment or question
Posted by:
I am not a leaving thing
Follow this page
If you are interested in this page, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the page is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
I am not a leaving thing
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.

Back to top of page