Fall is in the air and jams and jellies are one of the best ways to capture the essence of summer to brighten cold winter days . Here are some tips to cook jam that sets up perfectly while still maintaining its fresh fruit flavor.
Know the pectin content of your fruits.
Different fruits contain different amounts of pectin. With pectin low fruits, you may need to add additional pectin (be it in the form of commercial pectin, lemon peels, or apple jelly) in order for your jam to set up properly. Examples of pectin high fruits are apples, plums, and blueberries while pectin low fruits include strawberries, melons, and grapes.
Rely on the freezer test
To test whether your jam has set correctly, place a few metal spoons in the freezer to keep cold while you cook the jam. When your think the jam is ready, dip an ice cold spoon in the jam and place it back in the freezer for a few minutes. Through this process, you are essentially super cooling the jam in order to see how it sets at room temperature. If it is too runny, cook for a few more minutes. If it is too hard, then the jam is overcooked.
Use high heat
DO NOT heat your jam to a gentle boil. This will cook off all the fresh fruit flavors of the jam and will instead result in a sticky, candy-like sauce. Aggressively boil the jam to quickly evaporate the water within.
Use a candy thermometer
Pectin sets at around 212 F so candy thermometers are helpful when determining when to start freezer testing the jam. This helps prevent jam from being overcooked.
Stop and Smell the Flours 