Jam making: make your own fruit jam
Introduction
Jam making is a simple and effective way to keep fruit fresh all year round. With the right recipe and the right preparation steps, you can create your own sweet and tasty jam from fresh fruit. This article provides all the information needed to make a successful homemade jam.
Making jam requires few ingredients. Sugar and fruit are the basic ingredients, but it is also possible to use other ingredients to flavor and improve the texture of the jam. The ingredients needed for making fruit jam are:
- Fruits: Fresh fruit is the main ingredient in jam and can be of any variety – strawberries, raspberries, blackberries or any other fruit you wish to use. It is best to use fresh, ripe fruit for best flavor.
- Sugar: Sugar is added to fruits to increase their shelf life. The proportions indicated are necessary for the successful preparation of your jam.
Making jam is a simple recipe that transforms seasonal fruits into delicious fillings for bread and pastries. To make a good homemade jam, just follow a few essential steps. First of all, it is important to choose ripe, quality fruit to obtain a successful jam. Then, you have to wash and peel the fruits before cutting them into pieces. Then add the sugar to the preparation and cook everything over low heat, stirring regularly for about 30 minutes. Once the jam is cooked, it should be put in a jar.
It is possible to vary the scents and flavors of your homemade jam by adding spices. Thus, you can add cinnamon, vanilla or ginger to personalize your recipe. To do this, just follow the instructions provided in this very detailed article: How to personalize your homemade jam with spices? Thanks to these tricks, it is easy to get tasty and original homemade jam.
Finally, it is important to respect the rules of hygiene to avoid contamination of the jam by bacteria. It is therefore advisable to sterilize the jars and fill them with still hot jam before closing them tightly and turning them upside down. Once cooled, the jam can be kept for several months away from light and humidity.
In conclusion, making jam is a fun and creative culinary activity that allows you to enjoy yourself while filling up on vitamins. By adding spices to your recipe, you can vary the pleasures and discover new flavors. So why not start making your own homemade jam now?
Stages of making jams
Making jam is a fairly simple process. The general preparation steps for creating fruit jam are as follows:
- Fruit preparation: Wash fruit thoroughly and remove all stems and leaves. Cut large fruits into small pieces, about the size of the pieces you would like in your jam.
- Cooking fruit: Put the fruit in a saucepan and add the sugar. Cook the fruit over low heat, stirring regularly, until the sugar has melted.
- Temperature control: Increase the temperature to boil the mixture. Stir occasionally to prevent the fruit from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Preparing the jars: Sterilize jars and lids by immersing them in boiling water. Dry them thoroughly and then fill them with jam.
- Storage of jam: Close the jars and turn them upside down to create suction occurring inside. Place them upside down for about 5 minutes. Turn the jars upside down and let them cool slowly.
The proportions of the recipe
Sugar is the important ingredient that causes gelatinization of jam. The proportions indicated to respect to make your jam are given below:
- For 1 kg of fruit, add 750g of sugar.
- For 500g of fruit, add 350g of sugar.
- For 250g of fruit, add 175g of sugar.
Preserving jam
Homemade jam is best stored in well-washed and sterilized glass jars. Jam should be heat-treated to prevent the growth of mold and other harmful bacteria. The temperature during processing should be maintained at approximately 80°C. All jar closures should be checked prior to storage to ensure that the vacuum is properly created.
FAQ’s
How long can jam be kept?
The jam can be stored for about 1 year if made by following all the recommended steps.
Can I use frozen fruit?
Yes, you can use frozen fruit to make your jam.
Why should jars be sterilized?
The sterilization of the jars ensures the good preservation of the jam by eliminating the bacteria present in the jar.
Conclusion
Jam making is a simple and effective way to keep fruit fresh all year round. It doesn’t take a lot of ingredients or a lot of time to make a wonderful and tasty jam. Respecting the preparation steps and the proportions indicated is important for a successful jam. Follow this recipe, use the fruits of your choice, and store them properly for delicious homemade jam that will last a long time.