Jam
- For other meanings of the word "jam", see Jam (disambiguation)
Jam is a type of
fruit preserve. It is a way of preserving fruit by boiling it with
sugar to make an unfiltered
jelly.
The
proportion varies according to the type of fruit and its ripeness, but a rough starting point is equal
weights of each.\nWhen the mixture reaches a
temperature of 104°C, the
acid and the
pectin in the fruit react with the sugar, and the jam will set on cooling. However, most cooks work by
trial and error, bringing the mixture to a "fast rolling
boil", watching to see if the seething mass changes
texture, and dropping tiny samples on a plate to see if they run.\nHow easily a jam sets depends on the pectin content of the fruit. Some fruits, such as
gooseberries, redcurrants, blackcurrants,
appless and
raspberries, set very well; others, such as
strawberries and ripe
blackberries, need to have pectin added. There are proprietary pectin products on the market, and most industrially-produced jams use them. Home jam-makers sometimes rely on adding a pectin-rich fruit to a poor setter; hence the popular old favourite blackberry and apple. Other tricks include extracting juice from redcurrants or gooseberries. \nMaking jam at home used to be common, but the practice is declining, and the accessories, particularly the
cellophane covers for jam jars, are becoming more difficult to find in some locations.
Jam is often used on
bread, and also in
yoghurt to sweeten it.
Jam which has been
filtered to remove
pulp and make it clear is called
jelly. Jam which has whole pieces of fruit is called preserves, or conserves if it has
nutss as well. Jam with fruit
peel is called
marmalade.
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External links
Category:Food and drink\n