Pectin content of fruit
For jams and jellies to set, it is necessary for the fruit to contain sufficient pectin.
The table below is a guide to the pectin levels in different fruits.
Fruits low in pectin
Fruits with medium pectin
Fruits high in pectin
Blackberries
(late season)
Blueberries
Cherries
Elderberries
Marrow
Nectarines
Peaches
Pears
Pineapple
Rhubarb
Strawberries
Apricots
(fresh)
Blackberries
(early season)
Dessert apples
Greengages
Loganberries
Plums
(soft or dessert varieties)
Raspberries
Sweet oranges
Tayberries
Blackcurrants
Citrus fruits
Cooking apples
Damsons
Gooseberries
Limes
Plums
(some varieties)
Quince
Redcurrants
Seville oranges
For fruits low in pectin, use jam sugar with added pectin; or add lemon juice or
commercial liquid pectin (available in larger supermarkets). Alternatively, low or
medium pectin fruits can be mixed with a high pectin fruit. The «Quick» programme
is not recommended for making jam and jelly using fruit with a high pectin content
as it will set too firmly. Use the «Tradition» programme instead.
How to choose the right fruit
Select healthy fruits that are neither too ripe nor too green. Do not use fruit which
is worm eaten or damaged by pests. For best results, prepare fruit just before jam
making. Fruit prepared too soon in advance will be less tasty and lose some of its
vitamins. If seasonal fruit are lacking, you can use frozen fruit (see page 6 for more
details).
Preparing the fruit for jam making
When cooking fruit in the Vitafruit Jam Maker, the fruit does not break down as
much as when using a saucepan or preserving pan. In general, the pieces of
fruit are roughly the same size before and after cooking. Therefore, when making
strawberry jam small berries can be left whole, but medium or large strawberries
should be cut into quarters or even eighths. Alternatively, thickly slice the berries.
Fruit such as apricots and plums require the stones removed and cutting into
chunks before cooking. Small berries such as blackcurrants, redcurrants,
raspberries, and loganberries do not require any preparation.
Jam making techniques
Take care when handling some fruits such as
blackberries and cherries as the juice can permanently
stain clothing and surfaces.
making jam
Jam can be made using the “Vital” (reduced sugar) or
“Tradition” program. The “Quick” program, which uses
jam sugar, is only suitable for low or medium pectin
fruits. If the fruit is very sharp, such as raspberries or
some varieties of gooseberries, we do not recommend
using the “Vital“ program as the resulting jam tastes
too tart and is insufficiently sweet.
making Jelly
First the juice is extracted by steaming the fruit using
the “Juice Extraction” programme
P1
. Stirring the
fruit and pressing it with the ladle during steaming
helps to extract the maximum amount of juice. Then,
the extracted juice can be made into jelly by using the
“Vital” or “Tradition” program. We do not recommend
using the “Quick” program when making jelly.
making marmalade
Due to the smaller capacity of the Tefal Vitafruit Jam
Maker, the method of preparation and quantities have
been adapted for use in the Tefal Jam Maker. First
the whole oranges or other citrus fruit must be boiled
in a separate pan to soften the peel, then the pulp is
retained for marmalade making and the peel cut into
strips. Alternatively, you can extract the juice from the
fruit which is then boiled and reduced by half. Please
follow the instructions in the recipes carefully.
It is important with marmalade that the peel is very
soft and tender before adding the sugar as it won’t
soften any more once the sugar is added.
Use the “Tradition” programme for making
marmalade. The “Vital” and “Quick” programmes are
not recommended.
Instead of fresh fruit, an alternative is to use
commercially prepared concentrated Seville bitter
oranges in 850 g cans, available in most large
supermarkets, located in the jam section. Water
and sugar are added to the prepared orange
pulp, and then cooked in the Vitafruit Jam Maker.
For a recipe sheet please contact our Customer
Relations Team on 0845 602 1454 (for UK) and
(01) 677 4003 (for Ireland) or consult our web site:
www.eathealthily.co.uk then click on the section
recipes for Vitafruit.
making chutney
Chutneys are made from a mixture of chopped fruit
and vegetables cooked with vinegar, spices and
sugar using the “Desserts”
P5
program.
Sterilizing jars
Use glass jam jars, new or re-used, or preserving jars
with rubber seals. Wash the jars or base of preserving
jars, in warm water and washing-up liquid, rinse well
and then place in a cool oven - 140ºC (Fan oven
120ºC)/Gas mark 1 for 15-20 minutes.
Testing for a set
To test if the jam, jelly or marmalade is set, place
1 teaspoon of jam onto a cold saucer and allow to
cool for 1 minute, then push the surface with your
fingertip, and if the surface wrinkles, setting point is
reached. If not, retest again after an extra 5 minutes.
Alternatively, remove some jam with a wooden spoon,
then after 2 seconds tilt it so that the jam drips. If the
jam is set, the drops run together to form large flakes
which break off sharply.
Filling the jars
Filling the jars and sealing them is called “potting”. Fill
the sterilized jars to within 3mm/1/8th of an inch of
the top of the jar.
For jam jars, buy jam pot covers to fit the size of jar,
usually either 1 lb or 2 lb. Use 2 lb size covers to
fit the three wide necked jam jars supplied with your
Vitafruit. While the preserve is still hot place the waxed
circle, wax side down, onto the surface of the jam
and smooth out any bubbles. Then take a cellophane
wrapper and dampen it with cold water on one side.
Place the dampened side uppermost on the jar and
secure with a rubber band. Using metal screw top
lids on top, will give an extra seal to the preserve to
keep it longer.
Preserving jars usually have a thin rubber ring in the
lid, which acts as a seal, and are secured with either
a screw band or clips.
If making chutney, there is no need to sterilize the
jars as the vinegar acts as a preservative. Chutney
must be covered with vinegar-proof lids as vinegar
corrodes metal, so use jars with plastic coated metal
lids such as bought pickle jars. Jam pot discs and
covers are not suitable as the vinegar will evaporate
through them. Alternatively, use preserving jars.
Storage
Jam and jelly made using the Traditional and Quick
programme should last about 1 year if kept in a cool,
dark, dry place. If made using the Vital programme,
due to the lower sugar content it will only keep for
about 3 to 4 weeks. Once opened it should be stored
in the refrigerator and consumed within 1 week of
opening.
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