What's happened to my Fruit Cordial?

[SarzWix]

I'm having a number of disasters with my homemade stuff this year, and I've just discovered another.
My "Summer Fruits Cordial", which I made so that I didn't have to buy squash for the kids, has all set like jam in the bottles Really can't understand why it's done it, and I must admit, I'm pretty fed up. I was really careful when I made it; put the fruit through the jelly bag to get the juice, made sure it was almost cool before mixing in sugar at 1lb to every pint of juice til it dissolved, and added a Campden Tablet so it didn't ferment. Bottled into sterilised bottles and stored in a cool dark cupboard. So why on earth has it set??!! Fruit used was blackcurrants (about half) with some redcurrants, raspberries and strawberries.
Any suggestions for what went wrong gratefully received, plus any ideas for what on earth I should/could do with half a dozen bottles of jam

[lynda66]

does it pour? you could make hot drinks with it, or melt a bit in the microwave, then add water, ....... or get some ice cream and use it as a sauce, make milk shakes, jam tarts, and loadssssss of other stuff ....... sorry no idea what went wrong.

[BrideXIII]

could there have been too much pectin left in the fruit juice?
pectin is what makes jam set, so when you make wine, you have to remove the pectin by adding pectolase, maybe you need to do this for cordial too?

[SarzWix]

does it pour?

It'll just pour if I sit the bottle in hot water first

[lynda66]

sorted then ........ at least you haven't got bottles full of goo that you can't get out of the bottle

[Flummery]

1 lb sugar per pint of juice is the recipe for jelly! Too much pecten too I reckon. You can still add a big spoonful of jelly to a jug and add warm water. When it cools, refrigerat it for a while and you'll have your diluted cordial. I suspect it will keep better as a jelly.

[SarzWix]

Mmmm, I suspect you're all right, the pectin is the problem. But I didn't think it 'activated' if I didn't boil up the sugar... I did roughly follow a recipe in one of my old 'Farmhouse' type books, and it said 1lb sugar to 1 pint juice but didn't mention any pectin problems It does taste lovely when you manage to turn into juice though

[Snadger]

Instead of pouring just add the requisite amounts of teasponfuls to a glass before adding water....................or is this a too simplistic solution?

If it doesn't mix up too well you could always use a cocktail shaker (a la James Bond) Shaken or stirred Sir?............ Do I look like I give a f...................says he!

Sure the kids will enjoy it if it is poured from a cocktail shaker!

[roitelet]

My Blackcurrant cordial did much the same. It does just about pour but is really gloopy.
I sterilized mine by the waterbath method so put it down to the hugh levels of pectin in the fruit. The jam set very well.

Mever mind it tasted good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Eden]

Mine's done exactly the same, and we call it Beena Blobs!! The idea of slightly heating it up and making up the cordial sounds like a great idea Flummery! The kids aren't keen on drinking/eating it at the moment!!

[rana]

Well done Sarzwix - most people have trouble getting their jam to set - and you cordial has turned to jam. Perhaps you could dilute some of it and turn it into lollies for the kids.

[Hilary B]

The pectin is activated (actually extracted into solution) by boiling WITHOUT sugar. That is why traditional jam recipes tell you not to add the sugar until after the fruit is cooked! Blackcurrants are among the highest pectin fruits around.

[LouLou74]

Does anybody have a good tried and tested Blackcurrant cordial recipe? I made a great Elderflower one which disappeared very quickly, so keen to try something the kids will enjoy.
Thanks
Louise

[Scottishnewbie]

I'd like that too please....

[LostGoddess]

I suppose the most convenent way of using it for drinks would be to get it out of the bottles and freeze it in ice cube trays then transfer into plastic bags in the freezer once frozen. Then at least the kids can just pop a cube or two into a glass of water.