My jam and chutney aren't thickening

[Jaffa]

Does anyone have any suggestions for the problem of jams and chutneys not thickening. This has happened both with my fig jam and mango chutney. I have used reverse speed soft instead of simply speed 1 to try and maintain the integrity of the fruit pieces  but I wonder if this has slowed the boiling and therefore the evaporation rate.and then the fruit pieces didn't retain their shape anyway!  Also should I keep the MC on for the whole time? Generally with traditional cooking of jams etc the lid would be off the saucepan. The last few times I have made lemon curd it has been a bit runny too but I wonder if that could be because of the size of the eggs?
Many thanks for any help I have had my Thermomix since about September and love it

[dede]

I would leave the MC off the whole time. Place the steaming basket on top instead so as the steam will still escape but won't splatter everywhere. This should help with evaporation and therefore your jams and chutneys should be thicker. I tend to add a little flour paste to my relish to make it thicker. Hope that helps.

[judydawn]

Hi Jaffa, welcome to the forum with your first posting.  I don't make enough jams and chutneys to offer advice but what I have made has always been thick enough so I don't know what your problem could be.  I just follow the recipe and it works for me.
Why not pop over to Introduce Yourself on the home page so that others can welcome you into our midst.

[Jaffa]

Many thanks - I will give those ideas a try

[cookie1]

Jaffa I don't make a lot of chutney but do some jam. I always leave the MC off and put the basket over as dede says. If the jam doesn't seem to be reducing at all I only put the basket over half the hole in the TMX lid, therefore letting more steam out.

[achookwoman]

Jaffa,  I make a lot of Jams,  chutneys and jelly.  No cap on,  reverse is fine but at speed 3, not too much in TMX at a time or it will boil over and needs fast boil at the end on Varoma. I stand by machine for last 10 mins and switch between 100 and varoma as it starts to come out the hole. I leave the basket over to stop splatters.  If the jam has not enough pectin in it I add 1/2 packet of Jamsetta. It is wise to reduce the fluid in the recipe a bit, (Water , Vinegar).  Hope this helps.  Have a look at a couple of recipes that work,  my Lemon and Carrot Marmalade and Tenina's Apricot Preserves come to mind,  but there are many other posted that are good.