Luvachicken Posted July 4, 2014 Share Posted July 4, 2014 I've just spent the afternoon picking 2 big baskets of strawberries ready to make some strawberry jam later in my Tefal jam maker. Trouble is, I've actually got 2 bags of jam sugar in the cupboard but the recipe for the jam maker says to use granulated sugar. Do you think it would make any difference ? If I can't make the strawberry jam with the jam sugar what jam should I make with it ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted July 4, 2014 Share Posted July 4, 2014 I thought you were supposed to use jam sugar for strawberries as they don't have their own pectin? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted July 4, 2014 Author Share Posted July 4, 2014 I thought you were supposed to use jam sugar for strawberries as they don't have their own pectin? Yes, that's what I thought. That's why I bought the sugar in the first place. We actually picked so many strawberries that I might try both the sugars in separate recipes. Bit late to start now though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 Me being me I'd be tempted to bung it in and hope for the best, but then I don't have a jam maker so I don't know how much flexibility there is in the recipe (ie if you're doing it on the hob you can take it off the heat earlier etc). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted July 7, 2014 Author Share Posted July 7, 2014 Hubby went off and got me the correct sugar Made one lot of soft set strawberry jam - which was very yummy on my toast this morning. And made a traditional strawberry jam too - which I haven't tried any of yet - except the test bit that I tasted off the plate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted July 7, 2014 Share Posted July 7, 2014 Sounds delicious! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicester_H Posted July 7, 2014 Share Posted July 7, 2014 My OH made some marmalade with jam sugar. He said it needed much less boiling and the fruit kept its flavour much better. H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 I always use jam sugar for strawberry jam and granulated for most others. I couldn't get any the other day, so I have bought pectin sachets and granulated sugar, hopefully this will work in the same way and it was cheaper too I have a freezer full of soft fruit waiting for jam magic to happen. I usually also add a handful of gooseberries to my strawberry jam to help with the set. I prefer the jam sugar because it is true you do keep a much better colour and flavour because the boiling time is much less. The set is soft, but if the jars are well sterilised and sealed when the jam is still piping hot, it keeps just as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueSilver Posted July 9, 2014 Share Posted July 9, 2014 Huh, I didn't know there was such a thing as jam sugar - I have a crab apple tree, tho so I just bung some of those in. It's got pectin added? Good to know in case I don't have crabapple on hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted July 9, 2014 Share Posted July 9, 2014 Yes jam sugar has pectin added. It's useful for strawberry and raspberry jam but most other fruits have oodles of pectin so it's not needed. The other option is to do as you do and lob in some crab apples/regular cooking apples/ gooseberries to the jam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...