Jam making advice please

[Flump]

My heads a spinnin' I never knew jam making could get so.....involved. I will persevere tho. Thanks again for everyones advice so far

[Hilary B]

Basic proportions for marmalade, using ANY citrus fruit, but remember that most of it has wax on the skin unless specifically sold as unwaxed, or 'seville' oranges sold FOR marmalading
3lb fruit
3 pints water
6lb sugar
makes 10lb marmalade
Cook the fruit REALLY thoroughly before adding sugar, it can take up to 2 hours in the saucepan (and then you may need extra water), or 30 mins in a pressure cooker.

If you weigh your cooking pan when it is empty, the first guide to 'approaching setting point' will be from weighing again, and close to the right amount.....

[Nicos]

[B]
Nicos .. when you say you mash the fruit are you cooking your fruit first as this brings out the pectin in the fruit.

Yes-I gently heat the berries and then squash the fruit with a potato masher and then strain through a sieve.
I'm not bothered that the jelly is cloudy.

I then add equal lbs normal sugar per pint of the liquid.

When I did my blackberries it set beautifully, but when I did a mixed fruit of raspberries/strawberries and black currants and used the same weight of fruit to sugar it came out quite tough ( 4 mins rolling boil). Should I have added water to that- I wouldn't with strawberry jam!

Is there a rule of thumb as to which fruit need water?
Why are there 2 types of jam/preserve sugar when normal sugar seems to work just as well for me???
Jam and jelly- better with different sugars??
Also- I heard that cane sugar is better for jam making- in what way????( it's what I use)

Questions...questions.....

[Phreddy]

Not a lot of help to you here but I must tell somebody!!

We have just made Tomato and Grapefruit Marmalade it was terrific. Really bitter (and sweet)

Saw it on another site: tomatoes, 5 cups; 2 oranges;1 lemon 4 cups sugar - US recipe. We didn't have the oranges.

[nikkijy]

hi nicos. crikey did i actually sound like i knew what i was on about. ive just got loads of recipe books on jams and chutneys. ive made jam about 5 times and jelly about 3 and so far ive just been lucky. i always look up a recipe or google it first. ive been wondering about the sugar and it doesnt say in any of my books, i always use preserving sugar and have had good results so ive stuck to it. but i have noticed ,preserving, jam sugar and with added pectin so am confused as well. does anyone else know?