Forum Thermomix
Thermomix Recipes for TM5 and TM31 => Jams and Chutneys => Topic started by: cookie1 on January 08, 2011, 07:54:02 am
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Strawberry Jam - now foolproof!
« on: Today at 09:34:31 AM »
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I have developed a foolproof tweak to get the strawberry jam to set, based on my old favourite recipe. I tried the EDC recipe and got strawberry sauce, delicious over icecream But if you want to make set jam, try this:
Everyday Cooking
p145
Strawberry Jam
Ingredients
500g Strawberries
1/2 cup lemon juice
480g sugar
1/2 pkt (25g) Jamsetta
Method
As per recipe book
Good luck (you won't need it!),
Miss G.
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This recipe may be foolproof - but unfortunately it is not Karen-proof! I had trouble with the EDC method too, finding that my jam ended up liquid. So I tried this adaptation today, and it STILL ended up liquid. The only way I have found to get my jam to set is to finish it off with 10 minutes at varoma temp (with a Chux and the basket over the top to prevent spitting).
I am not sure if the reason why my jam doesnt set it that I have pre-prepared and frozen strawberries in 500g lots, and then thaw it each time I make jam. As it thaws, a lot of juice comes out of the berries. I use the juice in the jam - maybe I should drain off the juice before making jam??
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I also have that problem with frozen berries. I usually tip off some of the juice (about half) and then cook it for a bit longer also. Strawberry jam is the worst for not setting!!!
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I use frozen berries (bought frozen from the berry place) and not had a problem. Everytime I look at the liquid and panic but tip it in and works fine.
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Thanks Miss G! With strawberries so cheap right now in Perth, I bought 4 punnets yesterday. I'm making one batch of jam right now.
I wasn't sure whether to make the full kilo, well 980g by the time they're hulled and yukky ones taken out, so am doing it in two batches. I was a bit worried about excess spitting and bubbling over.
Smells divine!! Cream matches for dessert tonight.
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Hi all, want to make some strawberry jam to serve with scones at the school fete. Meganjane did yours set okay? I guess if I pour off the liquid as Cookie suggests it should be right?
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Lellyj I use fresh strawberries and an equal amount of CSR jam setting sugar and mine sets. I think frozen strawbs would be different.
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Thanks so much :)
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Lellyj you could also use quirky Jo's naturally sweetened jam with agar agar it sets really thickly :) and is a super fast recipe at 8 mins
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Thanks for the tweaking! Hopefully next time I will not end up with strawberry sauce.
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Lellyj I use fresh strawberries and an equal amount of CSR jam setting sugar and mine sets. I think frozen strawbs would be different.
Cookie, where did you buy your jam setting sugar, looked for it in Coles and couldn't find it , bought jam setta, which worked a treat.
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Coles only seem to have it Bedlam. It is with all the other sugars but is in 1kg packs and the pack is pink. Jamsetta would be just as good and possibly cheaper.
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Can't believe how good the jam is cookie. Made some mulberry today. Oo I feel so clever!
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Isn't it wonderful. Last summer I went to the Spud Shed abd bought fruit cheaply and made lots of jams. Only DD and I eat it though.
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Cookie, would you mind explaining how long you cook the jam for and what temperature. I used 500g fresh strawberries and 500g jam setting sugar and still got strawberry sauce, which will be great for flavouring yogurt but not great for serving with scones at the fete. I cooked it on 100c for 35 minutes as per EDC and then another 10 minutes. I didn't read Karen's tip about 10 minutes of varoma until now, so could have tried that, I guess. I have been given a lot of strawberries to make jam out of and thought it would be easy! Thanks for your help!
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Lelly I can't remember how long I cooked it for. If it isn't cooked after the time I put it on Varoma and put the basket over the top and keep cooking until it is ready. Make sure you keep testing it though, remembering it will thicken a bit when it cools.
I hope to make some soon so will note the time.
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I made ome from the UK book, turned out lovely. Did you have TMX on reverse?
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Here's a post from Stacey a couple of years ago. This is the way I do it, with the VAroma and basket if it's still not set.
Re: Help from jam makers please!
« Reply #22 on: September 03, 2009, 09:59:40 AM »
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Hi,
Don't know if this is any help to anyone but most of the strawberry jam recipes I've seen say to warm the sugar in the oven first. I've made two batches of jam using the method below:
500g hulled and halved strawberries
500g jam sugar (csr brand)
Heat the sugar on 10 minutes, 80, speed 1
Add strawberries and cook 35 minutes, 100, speed 1
Check for jelling on a cold saucer
Bottle
Have a great day
Stacey
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Has anyone heard of testing if it is ready by dropping a little into metho? My mum read it somewhere, obviously you can't taste it but it does save having a saucer in the freezer.
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Thanks so much Cookie, for finding that info for me. Interesting about the metho, Bedlam! No I didn't have the tmx on reverse, I guess that would make the jam chunkier?
I'm ready to give it another go tomorrow with all these new strategies!
thanks again, :)
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"To test for pectin content add one teaspoon of juice from the cooked fruit (before addition of sugar) to one tablespoon of methylated spirits. Juice high in pectin forms a large blob of jelly; two or three smaller lumps denote medium levels and low pectin levels will produce tiny clots."
found here (http://www.jamrecipes.net/jam-making-tips.htm)
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Thanks CP, it isn't what I thought she meant. Interesting
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Lelly I use Stacey's recipe above.
Not sure about the metho bit. I like to lick the cold jam off the cold saucer..........taste testing IYKWIM.
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Thanks Cookie. I warmed the sugar, cooked for 35 mins, still not set, so did the varoma thing, and now . . . jam!!! :D :D
So relieved. Thanks for your help.
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Wonderful and well done. :-*
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I use quirky jo's recipe with agar. Always sets beautifully :)
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to late now but can this recipe be doubled
SD gave me a tray of strawberrys, will doubled next batch if possible
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DH gave it the thumbs up. while i was making it yesterday he said , love thats a whole lot of sugar u r using
this moring he said, its not that sweet after all , keep up the good work love.
i did cook it for 10 more mins on varoma but i think 5 would have been plenty
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Nice looking jam Uni.
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When bottling the jam I can't get the lids on the jar to get the 'pop' that you get from store bought jams. I am sterilising them.
Will this make a difference?
Robynne (first time jammer ;D)
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Only 2 out of my 4 popped when I recently did Lemon Curd cardaddict so I am making sure I use the unpopped ones first and I have them in the fridge.
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I had one har that didn't pop with my last lot of jam. I had just put my finger on it to check (much later) and the slight pressure seemed to pop it. It must have been very close.
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Thanks so much. Need to practice some more and test some of the tips that are given here as I have some lovely strawberry topping!
Robynne
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I have just made up a batch of this jam, only difference being that I used jam setting sugar. I cooked for the suggested amount of time and it seemed runny, although it did thicken on the plate. I cooked the extra 10 minutes in varoma, and was still a little worried it wasn't thick enough, so I followed the tips in the thread on runny jam, I put the juice from another lemon in and also a few pips and cooked another 10 minutes on varoma. It still seemed quite runny, but I imagine it will thicken on standing? Is in jars now and looks thick! I can't wait to test it out tomorrow!
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I'm sure it will be fine.
I made some apricot jam yesterday 1 kg apricots plus 1kg jam setting sugar and hey presto lovely jam.
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cookie1 i am sure you meant to say, 1kg jam setting sugar.
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Drrrr. I had to read it through twice before I found the error. Thanks Uni. :-*
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Well the jam is great! Yummy as! Thanks for the recipe :)
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I have made strawberry jam a few times now and always use the CSR jam sugar as well as Jamsetta for good measure. I had a few initial failures with runny strawberry sauce, which even though is delicious, obviously doesn't have the texture of jam. When I have lemons on my tree I also whack in some lemon juice for extra measure. Don't ask me the quantities however, I just follow the rough recipe and do the jam on the saucer thing periodically whilst it is cooking to check the consistency.
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When bottling the jam I can't get the lids on the jar to get the 'pop' that you get from store bought jams. I am sterilising them.
Will this make a difference?
Robynne (first time jammer ;D)
I find more of my jars seal when I keep (and lids) them in the oven at 100C or just above. I use clean jars, and put them in the oven for at least 15 mins, so hot jam is going into hot jars. Got this tip from the lovely Jude Bleureau at a 'preserving the harvest' seminar she did.
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I have just made up a batch of this jam, only difference being that I used jam setting sugar. I cooked for the suggested amount of time and it seemed runny, although it did thicken on the plate. I cooked the extra 10 minutes in varoma, and was still a little worried it wasn't thick enough, so I followed the tips in the thread on runny jam, I put the juice from another lemon in and also a few pips and cooked another 10 minutes on varoma. It still seemed quite runny, but I imagine it will thicken on standing? Is in jars now and looks thick! I can't wait to test it out tomorrow!
You can't tell if the jam has reached the setting stage by it's thickness (although it does gel up around the TM bowl). If you cooked it until it was thick you would need to cut it with a knife when it had cooled. It's best to do the freezer test. Chill a plate in the freezer and then place a spoonful of jam on it. When it cools slightly, drag your finger through the jam. If it crinkles up and doesn't move too much it is ready to bottle. :)
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After reading all the posts I was a bit worried about this but I thought I would give it a go. Strawberries were going cheap so ..... I combined a couple of recipes/ideas:
250 gms strawberries
250 gms sugar
zest whole lemon
rest of lemon, cut into quarters (pips included)
Cooked as per EDC - still a bit watery, so continued to cook on Varoma for 10 mins. It did thicken and smells fantastic.
I hope this helps everyone - I didn't use the jam setting sugar as I didn't have it. I think the lemon pips helped the setting.
Trying variation - added 1 green apple, vanilla extract. cooking as above.
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They sure do korrick.
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Just wanted to make a note that my mum used to make strawberry jam with green apples for extra pectin, if you don't want to use jamsetta.
She'd soften about 3 large green apples (uncored, with just stems and prickly stuff from the bottom removed and then roughly chopped) with half a chopped up lemon (skin on & seeds in) in a saucepan with a bit of water then push it through a seive to get about a cup of apple puree. Then add 4 cups of strawberries and 2.5 cups of sugar and cook as usual. Once it's cooked up you can't taste the apple, but it makes the strawberries go a bit further when they're expensive and means you don't use quite so much sugar (I'm trying to cut down on the amount we use).
Haven't tried it myself, but I'm going to make a batch probably tonight, so I'll let you know how it goes!
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Just finished making this jam. Perfect. I had made it a couple of weeks ago and it was slightly runny. This time I gave the strawberries a quick chop before adding the rest of the ingredients and it is perfect. The colour and smell is amazing. Thank you for posting this