Tips and tricks on How to make the BEST JAM

Fruit jams are delicious and sweet and jams are best made when the fruit used is in season. Jams are great with scones, bread, cakes, pancakes … … Actually most food.

The choice of fruit for the jam is totally up to you but make sure the fruit is ripe but not over-ripe. As fruits lose their pectin once it matures, you can include some unripe fruits in the jam to allow it to set and gel better. For the jam to gel up, acidity needs to be between pH 2.8-3.5 (acid level the same like lemon juice mixed with a bit of sugar). If your fruit is not as tart as this, add a little lemon juice (2 tbsp for every 1.8kg of fruit) or citric acid (1/2 tsp for every 1.8kg of fruit).

The best jam is allowed to release its flavor first by macerating in its own juices. To achieve this, chop the fruits up and add sugar or spices to it. Let the ingredients sit overnight stirring them occasionally.

Here’s how to make the best jam 😉

1. Get the bottles ready

Wash and boil the jars to sterilize them. After washing, preheat the oven to 180 degree Celsius and place the inverted jars on a lined baking sheet and heat for 20 minutes. Keep the jars in the oven until needed. For the lids, boil them in hot water. Do not put the lids in the oven as the rubber on the lid would be spoilt!

2. Cook the fruit

Simmer the fruit until tender (5-45 minutes). Remember not to boil the fruit at this stage as this breaks down the pectin chains. Keep in mind that the fruit has to be SIMMERED SLOWLY and at LOW heat 😉

3. Add the sugar

In order to preserve the jam, add 60-65% of sugar to 40% of fruit. Adding any less sugar would cause the jam to spoil faster. If too much sugar is added, the jam would crystallize. For the sugar to dissolve faster in the jam, preheat the sugar in the oven at low heat. This also gives the jam a nice colour.

4. Boil until setting point

Once all the sugar has dissolved, boil the jam without stirring too much. This would take about 20 minutes. Boiling the jam any longer would destroy the pectin chains that have formed. To test if the jam has set, use either a saucer or do the flake test.

5. Skim and start boiling

Remove from the heat and stir the jam to distribute the fruit pieces evenly. Start bottling until the jam reaches about 1-2cm from the top of the jar; as the jam ages, it would shrink.

6. Seal, label and store

Placing a wax disc on top of the jam would prevent mould from forming on the jam. Do not screw on the lids when the jam is still warm so just place the lids over the top of the jar. Store the jams in cool dark places. Note to never add cold food to hot jars or hot food to cold jars to lengthen the shelf life of the food.

Testing the setting point of jam

1.Flake test

This is one of the best tests. Dip a wooden spoon into the jam and remove it. Turn the spoon on its side and allow the jam to cool slightly and watch as the jam runs down the spoon. The jam should collect and hang at the edge of the spoon and eventually drop off the spoon in a clean manner. This makes a very firm jam.

2. Plate test

Place a blob of jam on a cold refrigerated plate. Allow the jam to cool slightly. Is the jam can be pushed with your finger it is fully set. If the jam is separates and turns runny when you touch it, it has not set yet.

3. Temperature test

Use a food thermometer to measure the temperature of the jam. Remember to stir the jam before taking the temperature reading. The jam sets at 110 degree Celsius.

One thing good about jam is that they go well with practically anything, be it savory, sweet or merely plain biscuits or bread. Jams can be used as a sauce for chicken or turkey to give the meat a sweet finish.

Jams not only go deliciously well with bread but also with cupcakes! Try our fruity crumble cupcakes today and taste the freshness and goodness for yourself 😉