raspberry jam

[cecil39]

i made some raspbery jam yesterday but it did not set, the fruit was frozen, i did not add water and let the fruit thaw and the sugar melt before i boiled it for the three minutes given in the recipe, whats gone wrong and what can i do with it? there is eight jars, i can't waste it, help please.

[guilliebrougues]

You could try bringing it to the boil again and add a tablespoon of lemon juice which is a good pectin and boil until setting point is reached. Test for setting point on a very cold plate.

[guilliebrougues]

an addition to my posting of what to do, are you sure that it says three minutes? that is not long, you have to boil any jam until settingpoint is reached.I also add a knob of butter , this reduces the amount of scum that might appear.

[beso]

Setting is all about pectin and acid. It needs both or there is no set. Some fruits have them both and are easily made into jams. Some like a bit of something like lemon juice for the acid and other like a bit of apple (and many other fruits) for the pectin.

Add both and almost anything can be a jam. I have not researched but I suspect raspberries might have the acid but maybe not the pectin.

Moreover the temperaure of the mixture indicates the sugar concentration which is also important in jam. Higher concentrations are required for setting and preservation. When the concentration becomes high enough the mixture gets hot enough to bevome toffee.

Really there is a continuum from boiled fruit through to toffee. You juat need to pick where it is at. Pectin and acid make sure it has both and boil it long enough to get the required sugar concentration.

I have never heard of a three minute jam and it seems very unlikely to me.

[coccinelle]

Just boil it all up again and leave it to get to setting point (this is a certain temperature). I use a cold saucer to test; put a drop of jam on it and if a skin forms(it wrinkles when pushing your nail through it) it's ready. Some of my jams can take 45 minutes others take 15mins all depends on liquid, amount etc

[gingejbee]

Unless the berries were frozen slightly under-ripe, there is probably not enough acidity *and* pectin. (You can buy bottled liquid pectin to make things easier). And I would certainly boil it longer- til the setting-point is reached.

[cecil39]

thanks for that everyone, i will use some lemon juice and give it another boil, i checked the recipe (my old womans own one) and it does say 3 minutes exactly, and yes i did think that was odd but have never done raspberry before, maybe they missed an o out in the printing.

[hornbygirl]

i have heard that when using frozen fruits for jam making extra fruit is needed than the stated recipe as pectin is lost during the freezing process