A few jars of the Carrot Cake Jam I made yesterday. The house smelled heavenly! Cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, pears...this is such a nice recipe for the Fall. :-)
Yours is the same reaction most people have when they start making jam. It IS a lot of sugar. As I understand it, the reason there is so much is that it is what (in part) makes the jam gel; otherwise you end up with something resembling syrup. I do not have a lot of experience making jams, but do know there are “low sugar” jam/jelly recipes online and that there are entire recipe books devoted to them. There is also a specific kind of pectin available that can be used in low(er) sugar jam recipes. Freezer jams typically call for less white sugar than canning recipes, but they also tend to call for things like apple or white grape juice to make up for it which, to me, is sugar by another name.
There is an absolute boatload of information online about jam recipes (low sugar and otherwise), different kinds of pectin products (e.g., liquid, powder, regular, “no sugar needed”, freezer jam, and Ponoma pectins), and which fruits/recipes can be safely modified and which recipes cannot. I just don’t have the time or the motivation to comb through it myself, especially not at this time of year.
Whichever recipe you choose, do let me know how it turns out for you!
Do you have any advice for reducing the amount of sugar called for in this recipe? Seems to call for a lot!
ReplyDeleteHi Judith,
DeleteYours is the same reaction most people have when they start making jam. It IS a lot of sugar. As I understand it, the reason there is so much is that it is what (in part) makes the jam gel; otherwise you end up with something resembling syrup. I do not have a lot of experience making jams, but do know there are “low sugar” jam/jelly recipes online and that there are entire recipe books devoted to them. There is also a specific kind of pectin available that can be used in low(er) sugar jam recipes. Freezer jams typically call for less white sugar than canning recipes, but they also tend to call for things like apple or white grape juice to make up for it which, to me, is sugar by another name.
There is an absolute boatload of information online about jam recipes (low sugar and otherwise), different kinds of pectin products (e.g., liquid, powder, regular, “no sugar needed”, freezer jam, and Ponoma pectins), and which fruits/recipes can be safely modified and which recipes cannot. I just don’t have the time or the motivation to comb through it myself, especially not at this time of year.
Whichever recipe you choose, do let me know how it turns out for you!
Many thanks,Dawn. You've inspired me to get busy with Mrs. Google. Will keep you informed.
ReplyDeleteAll best in these glorious Harvest Days
Judith