Cherry Jam Revisited....

[lizzylemon]

...yes it's back to haunt me - that ruddy cherry jam.

Finally got round to trying to sort out the cherry jam from a few(!?) weeks ago and it's still not set.

This is what I've done:

Pectolase powder instructions - 1 tspoon to every gallon of fluid or 2 tspoons per hot liquid (mine is now cool)

There are approx 4.5 litres to every gallon, therefore I estimated that my litre is a smidge under a quarter = 1 qt of a tspoon for my jam liquid. I then added a sprinkle more just incase.

Nada, nothing, zero, non-solid reaction to the pectolase powder.

It didn't say anything but AM I supposed to re-boil it or something, it's like it was before I added the powder.

Am at a loss now, not being a jam maker of even the slightest knowledge.

[Jeanied]

I reboiled some chilli jelly this morning Lizzie- I tipped the jars back into the saucepan (using a flatter one this time) and added juice of half a lemon - then boiled and boiled till it made a good set on a plate from the freezer. Seems to have worked.
Maybe you should boil again for a while - the only danger is burning the jam.

[janeyo]

Can I suggest getting some good vanilla ice-cream and using the jam as a sauce?
Then have another go next year...

[lizzylemon]

Can I suggest getting some good vanilla ice-cream and using the jam as a sauce?

Thats why I only have 6 jars and not 10 jars left. Thank-goodness for a sweet toothed ex!

[lizzylemon]

Yurp I think it's the reboiling I'll have to do. I've a lovely stock pot that's great for jam making which I used first time round. I think I'll forgo the lemon juice though, there's already juice of 1 lemon and now 1/2 tspoon of pro-thingymajig in it now. It'll turn to toffee if I add more!

[Jeanied]

I discovered the cold plate test needs a bit of thought Lizzie - my jelly was quite thin when hot, so I splashed some on the icy plate, then spread it out before seeing if it had 'gelled' yet - which it has now nicely. At least I know what kind of 'wrinkle' in the surface I am looking for now!

[Hilary B]

Pectolase is exactly what you DO NOT WANT. It destroys pectin (you don't want pectin in wine, but you do in jam).
'Certo' pectin liquid is what you add to unsetting jam!

[lizzylemon]

Pectolase is exactly what you DO NOT WANT. It destroys pectin (you don't want pectin in wine, but you do in jam).
'Certo' pectin liquid is what you add to unsetting jam!

Great so I've been sold the completely wrong product and made a bad situation even worse - is there any I can do to rectify the situation now?

[Hilary B]

Great so I've been sold the completely wrong product and made a bad situation even worse - is there any I can do to rectify the situation now?

Boil it (pectolase is destroyed by heat) and get some Pectin liquid (Certo is the only brand I know) added once it is really hot. Not sure of the quantity you would need, because I've never used 'added' pectin, but it should say on the bottle. Whatever it recommends for strawberry jam, add just a little more (it would probably be based on the original weight of fruit, if you can't remember how much there was, reckon that 3lb fruit makes about 5lb jam)