Blackberry and apple jam

[lulubell]

Hiya everyone
I have never made jam before but I have been storing blackberries in the freezer until I have enough to try and make a batch and also waiting for some apples off my hubbys uncles tree.
I was wondering if it is possible to make jam using the half spoon suger to reduce the calories but keep the sweetness and maybe add some extra pectin or lemon juice to help set. Would anyone have a idea how long it would keep by making it this way.
Thanks xx

[Alison]

I'm not familiar with half spoon sugar so can't help on that front however blackberry and apple jam is very nice made normally. It sets easily due to the apples so no extra pectin in needed. Might make some myself later in the season but the blackberries round here are a long way off being ripe.

[binley100]

If you start reducing the sugar then you may be messing with its keeping ability ......probably would have to store it in the fridge and it may only have a few months life date.

[Alison]

I'd read it as using the same amount of a low cal sugar but I'm not really sure if such a thing exists as I tend to avoid most low cal stuff as I don't really trust what's in it, prefer to have less of the fully loaded stuff so just don't eat too much of it

[veggiechicken]

There are some recipes here Diabetic Jam, Jelly, and Relish Recipes for using sugar substitutes. Personally, if you don't have to, stick with the real thing. Anything artificial is just that.......

[lulubell]

Hiya thanks for the info half spoon is a sugar with added sweetener so you only have to use half the amount for the same sweetness I thought it maybe ok, but will try using normal sugar and just have less
Also I dont like the pips in jam at which stage would I sieve these out? xx

[rustylady]

What you want to make is blackberry and apple jelly. You simmer your fruit and strain through a jelly bag or muslin to extract the juice before adding the sugar. Recipe here Blackberry and apple jelly best recipe | The Cottage Smallholder

[Farmer_Gyles]

i've just opened a jar of blackberry and apple jam that i made last year ..... nom nom nom!
i think it's the last jar .... made with normal sugar, kept under the stairs, kept very well for almost a year ....
not sure i'd want to try with anything other than normal sugar ....
but definitely got to try the blackberry and apple jelly!

[lulubell]

Thanks Both will give the jelly recipe a try

[Alison]

I'm not really that struck on jellies as I like some texture but if you don't like the pips then you can cook the fruit up (without sugar) then sieve out the pips before weighing the pulp that is left and using that to make the jam.

[veggiechicken]

Would this work?
Cook the blackberries and strain. Then add the strained juice to the apples and cook those together following a jam recipe. Then you'd get the texture of the apples without the blackberry pips.

[Alison]

Yes that would work well and be far more economic than a jelly - I think that's another thing that gets me about jellies, all that waste

[veggiechicken]

On the rare occasions I make jelly, I add white wine vinegar and sugar to the strained pips and waste bits and turn it into fruit vinegar. Two for the price of one

[lulubell]

Thanks for the tips will try the fruit vinegar too with the waste bits I hate waste too. xx