Delicious jam from apples for the winter. How to cook jam: the basic principles and secrets of cooking

Apple jam - an almost universal recipe, you can roll it up, eat it with tea or cook pies with it, any other pastries.

The basic jam recipe does not require a large number of ingredients.

Required products:

  • one and a half kilograms of sugar;
  • two and a half kilograms of apples.

Cooking process:

  1. First, let's prepare the fruit. They need to be washed well, remove the skin and what is in the middle, since it is hard, bones.
  2. Now cut into small pieces of fruit should be brought to softness. You can do this in a hot oven - 20 minutes at a temperature of 170 degrees, or simply boil them in water.
  3. Transfer to a bowl and puree with a sieve or blender.
  4. Mix with the indicated amount of sugar and put on the stove. Keep on fire until the consistency becomes more transparent and stops spreading. During cooking, it is advisable to constantly stir it. The finished product can be ordered for the winter or removed for storage in the refrigerator.

How to cook in a slow cooker for the winter?

Jam in a slow cooker is no more difficult to prepare than according to the basic recipe.

Required products:

  • half a small spoon of citric acid;
  • kilogram of sugar;
  • two kilograms of apples;
  • a little over a liter of water.

Cooking process:

  1. Fruits must be washed and peeled, which does not need to be thrown away, but put in a separate container. Do not forget to remove all unnecessary from the core of apples.
  2. Place the chopped fruit in a multicooker bowl and pour 250 milliliters of water. We set the "Extinguishing" mode for 30 minutes.
  3. While this process is going on, fill the skins from apples with 500 milliliters of water and keep on fire for about 20 minutes, after which we squeeze and get a fragrant apple broth.
  4. We turn the fruits into puree and combine with citric acid, previously diluted in 150 milliliters of water.
  5. Pour sugar into this mass and pour the broth from the peel.
  6. We cook in a slow cooker by setting the "Extinguishing" mode for 60 minutes. We put the jam in jars, roll them up. We keep it cool.

Thick apple jam

Advice! To cook apple jam of sufficient density, you just need to hold it longer on the stove.


Required products:

  • 500 grams of apples and the same amount of sugar;
  • 100 milliliters of water.

Cooking process:

  1. We clean the fruit from the skin, cut into small pieces.
  2. Pour water into the bottom of the pan and add apples on top. Simmer until they become soft. Then use a blender to make a puree out of them.
  3. Pour sugar into the mass and put it on the stove again. Stirring constantly, bring the jam to the desired consistency. If you don't think it's thick enough, let it simmer for a while longer, but don't use artificial thickeners.
  4. Remove the finished jam for storage in the refrigerator or make a seam.

Cook with pears

An interesting recipe according to which jam can be cooked not only with apples, but also with the addition of pears.

Required products:

  • half a kilogram of apples and pears;
  • about 600 grams of sugar;
  • 100 milliliters of water.

Cooking process:

  1. We free apples and pears from the skin and core, put them in a saucepan and pour in the indicated amount of water. Bring to a soft state on the stove.
  2. What happened, we interrupt in mashed potatoes, add sugar and put it on fire again.
  3. Without leaving the stove and constantly stirring the contents, we wait until it thickens and becomes almost transparent. We close the finished jam in jars.

Sugarless

An excellent recipe for almost dietary jam, without a drop of sugar.

Required products:

  • 200 milliliters of water;
  • kilogram of apples.

Cooking process:

  1. Jam without refined sugar is prepared, as well as with this component. First, we clean the fruits, cut them.
  2. We put everything in a saucepan, pour a glass of water and keep on fire until softened.
  3. After that, we grind it into a puree and put it on the stove again. Stir and cook until the mass becomes thick.
  4. We transfer the still warm jam into sterilized jars and close the lids. Or put it in the fridge.

With cinnamon in the oven

Cinnamon and apples are a win-win combination. And if there is such a pie, then why not make a similar jam?

Necessary products for cooking:

  • kilogram of apples;
  • a small spoonful of cinnamon;
  • about 600 grams of sugar.

Cooking process:

  1. We wash the fruits well, cut off the skin from them and remove everything that is inside.
  2. We cut them into small pieces, put them in a large saucepan, add a little water and wait until they become soft.
  3. After that, we make mashed potatoes out of them using a blender or sieve.
  4. Pour all the sugar into the mass, mix and put the container in the oven preheated to 200 degrees. Stew the puree for about three hours until it becomes the desired consistency. After that, we lay out in sterilized jars.

Apple jam with pumpkin

Apples and pumpkins are something that in a good season you don’t know what to do with and what to cook from them. Do not throw it away, you can cook a tasty and healthy jam.

Required products:

  • a kilogram and the same amount of pumpkin;
  • lemon juice;
  • about 850 grams of sugar.

Cooking process:

  1. It is best to start cooking with a pumpkin, as apples darken quickly after peeling. The pumpkin is washed, freed from the skin and seeds, chopped into small pieces, and then rubbed on a coarse grater.
  2. Take a good, large container, preferably with thick walls, put the pumpkin there, sprinkle it with sugar, but not all, but 500 grams.
  3. Do the same with apples, also place them in a saucepan, having previously cleaned them, and cover with the remaining sugar.
  4. Let them stand for a while so that they release the juice. After that, we set to boil in our own syrup. When they become softer, combine them in one pan and pour in the lemon juice.
  5. From the resulting mass of mashed potatoes, once again bring to a boil and can be packaged in jars and closed with lids for the winter.

Suitable varieties of apples for apple jam

How to cook apple jam in various ways and with additives is now clear. But what are the best varieties of apples to use for jam?

Antonovka jam is ideal. This is a strong, not too sweet variety, and affordable. Many grow in the garden.

If we talk about other varieties, then the following types are well suited: runet, Simirenko, Gloucester. It is very important that the selected apples are sour, then the desired level of sweetness will come out.

You can use Melba or Papirovka. Of these, the jam turns out to be very thick due to the content of a large amount of pectin. And the slices themselves do not lose their shape and look transparent when cooked.

Summer, juicy varieties of apples are not at all suitable for making jam, they become loose, quickly boiled soft. The result is a mushy mass. And the taste is not at all what you expect. They are sweet and, when combined with sugar, become even more cloying.

apple jam in a saucepan cook.

apple jam in a slow cooker cook on the "Extinguishing" mode.

apple jam in a bread maker cook on the "Jam" mode.

How to cook apple jam

Products
Apples - 1 kilogram
Sugar - 700 grams
Water - half a glass

How to cook apple jam
1. Wash apples, peel, cut in half and remove cores.
2. Thinly or finely chop the apples.
3. Put the apples in a saucepan, pour water and put the saucepan on fire.
4. Boil apples for 30 minutes over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon or spatula.
5. Add sugar to the apples and mix.
6. Cool the apples, chop with a blender into a puree.
7. Return the apples to a quiet fire and cook for 10 minutes after boiling, stirring occasionally.
8. Pour the jam into warm sterilized jars and twist, turn the jars over and wrap them with a blanket. Wait until it cools completely and store.

How to cook apple jam in a slow cooker
1. Wash, peel, cut the apples in half and cut out the core with a knife.
2. Thinly slice and put the apples in a slow cooker.
3. Add sugar and stir.
4. Set the multicooker to the "Extinguishing" mode.
5. Cook for an hour and a half, stir every half hour.
6. Pour jam into jars, twist and cool under a blanket. Then put away for storage.

How to cook jam in a bread machine
1. Peeled apples cut into slices and put in the capacity of the bread machine, cover with sugar.
2. Set the bread maker to the "Jam" mode, time - 1 hour.
3. Chop the boiled jam with a blender, pour into jars, cool and put away for storage.

Fukusnofacts about apple jam

- Soft and juicy fruits of summer varieties are suitable for cooking jam. White filling, Melba, Pear will quickly boil. Apples with red or striped skins are suitable for getting a red hue.

The longer you cook jam, the darker it will be.

When cooking apple jam, the initial volume of the apple mass is reduced by 2 times. It is worth considering that when it cools down, apple jam will become thicker.

The readiness of apple jam is checked as follows: put a teaspoon of the product on a plate (dry, cold). If the jam retains its shape (does not spread) - it is ready.

How much sugar to take depends on the variety of apples: if the fruits are sour, increase the amount of sugar by 30%.

When cooking, you can add slices of lemon or orange (with peel), citrus fruits will give a subtle flavor and add piquancy to apple jam.

To cook jam without adding sugar, boil apple slices for 10 minutes in a small amount of water (200 milliliters of water per 1 kilogram of apples), then rub through a sieve and boil for 10 minutes. Jam cooked without sugar should only be placed in sterilized jars.

Calorie content of apple jam - 190 kcal / 100 g.

The main value of apple jam is natural pectin substances that can remove toxins and salts of heavy metals from the body.

Apple jam is used as an independent sweet dessert, as well as a filling for pancakes, pies, donuts, waffles.

Store apple jam in a dark, cool place for up to 3 years.

Summer is approaching its middle and the first early varieties of apples have already ripened in the orchards. Of course, this is the well-known and beloved by many "White pouring", and after a short period of time the no less adored variety under the loud name "Glory to the winner" already keeps up with it.

It is these early apples that act as the most magnificent filling for summer pies. Lush delicious homemade pies with apples, well, who doesn't love them? Such people, most likely, do not exist in nature!

And if you decide to please your family and cook such pies with your own hands, but you don’t know how to make sure that the apple filling does not leak and burn during baking, we give a hint.

Everything is extremely simple! Apples (you can peel, you can not peel) cut into small cubes, take a large frying pan, put on the stove, heat, and, on a dry surface, pour the prepared pieces of apples. Sprinkle them with sugar on top and “fry” constantly stirring. Apples will initially give juice, but in just a couple of minutes the excess liquid will evaporate and we will get the perfect apple filling, which will definitely not flow out of the pies.

Well, if you decide to think about winter and cook thick apple jam for pies, we will be happy to reveal this recipe to you.

It is quite simple, affordable and does not require much time. To implement our plans, we need a little effort and following this recipe.

Taste Info Sweet blanks

Ingredients

  • Apples (we have Glory to the winner) - 500 grams;
  • Sugar sand - 500 grams;
  • Water - 100 ml.

From this amount, we got one half-liter jar of chic thick apple jam. If you want to make more supplies, multiply the number of ingredients.


How to make a thick jam from apples for filling for the winter

Let's start by going to the market and buying there those apples that we like the most.

The main ingredient is there and you can start cooking apple jam. We will cook it in a pan with a wide bottom and it is desirable that it be stainless steel (enamelled dishes are not suitable for this).

We wash the apples and peel them. It is not worth throwing it away from the peel, you can make a wonderful drink.

Peeled apples cut into thin slices. We weigh the result obtained after processing and it is on the basis of this amount that we determine the amount of sugar required. The proportions are one to one.

Pour water into the bottom of the pan, pour the prepared apple slices here.

We send the pan to low heat, cover with a lid and begin to simmer the apples so that they become soft. Since the summer fruits have a rather loose pulp, five minutes will be enough for us to reach the desired condition.

We remove the pan from the heat, arm ourselves with a blender and turn the apples into a homogeneous mass.

Weigh out the required amount of sugar.

Pour it into a saucepan.

We send the pan to the fire and begin to cook apple jam. We interfere constantly (without leaving), and within about 30-40 minutes we get a thick apple jam for pies.

If you are in doubt whether the jam will turn out thick or liquid, then send a spoonful of jam in a saucer, after cooling you will see its final texture.

If you get a liquid jam, then do not thicken it with any thickeners, just boil a little longer.

As you can see, everything is extremely simple and fast, the jam is ready for the winter, look how thick it turned out, no filling will flow out.

We pack it in sterile jars and can store it at room temperature in the pantry.

Thick jam from apples can be used for any filling. Traditionally, pies, bagels, rolls are prepared with apple jam.

Greetings friends. Summer will be over soon. Time flies so quickly and imperceptibly that it becomes even a little sad. Although each season is good in its own way. But the months of August and September usually present us with a rich harvest of fragrant apples.

First of all, you need to eat these fruits fresh, because they are very useful. And of course, you can’t eat all the stocks, so you need to make different preparations for the winter. For example, you can cook or healthy jam. These sweets are very good and are great for tea drinking or for filling, cakes.

And since we have already considered the methods of making jam, today I will dwell in detail on cooking jam from apples. Usually the cooking technology in recipes does not differ much. The only thing you can add additional ingredients to the composition. Although I prefer the classics of the genre more and add only the fruits themselves and sugar.

By the way, do not forget that from these fruits you can cook very tasty and lush. And from ripe fruits you can make awesome homemade marmalade. I recently came across a collection of recipes describing this dessert. If you are interested, you can also get acquainted here on this site https://firstcook.ru/marmelad-iz-yablok.html.

Apple jam made at home according to a simple recipe

As I wrote above, usually they try not to put anything extra in the composition of the treat, only sugar and apples. Therefore, initially I suggest you cook a classic jam. Please note that color and taste may vary depending on the type of fruit.

You can choose absolutely any variety of apples.


Ingredients:

For 1 liter jar:

  • Apples - 1 kg;
  • Sugar - 500 grams.

Depending on the sweetness of the fruit and your own taste, you can increase or decrease the amount of sugar.

Cooking method:

1. First of all, you need to prepare the fruits. Wash them thoroughly, and then cut into 4 pieces. Remove all seeds, stem and core. If there are bumps on the apples, bad places, cut them off too. Cut off the skin at will, I usually leave it, because this way the treat turns out to be much more useful.


  • Using a double boiler: load all the slices into the compartments and put on steaming for 20 minutes;
  • Using a slow cooker: just set the “stewing” mode and cook the fruits until soft;
  • Using the saucepan: Pour 2 tbsp. spoons of water, place the slices, cover with a lid. Next, turn on a low heat and simmer until soft, not forgetting to stir the mass so that nothing burns.


3. Now the softened fruits need to be mashed. To do this, grind them with a blender, pusher or pass through a sieve.


If you use a sieve, then be sure to remove the skins.

4. Transfer the resulting puree to a cooking container and put on low heat. Pour in sugar, stir. Simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally.


The jam will splash a lot during the cooking process, so be careful not to burn yourself.

5. After an hour, the mass will still be liquid, but do not be alarmed. It is in the process of cooling that the delicacy will thicken. And if you hold it later in the refrigerator, it will be even thicker.


6. The hot treat should be transferred to sterile jars, screw on the lids. Next, wrap the jars with a towel and leave at room temperature until cool. Then put away in storage.


How to cook delicious and thick jam from apples for the winter

But I propose to diversify the following recipe a little and add ground cinnamon for aroma. Well, the cooking technology is slightly different from the previous version. By the way, I like her better. I love when treats are made in their own juice.

Ingredients:

  • Apples - 2 kg;
  • Sugar - 1 kg;
  • Ground cinnamon - 1/2 teaspoon.

Cooking method:

1. Rinse and dry fruits well. Peel off the skin and remove the seeds. Cut into slices.


2. Now sprinkle the slices with sugar.


3. Stir the contents with a wooden spoon so that the sugar is evenly distributed among the pieces.


4. In this state, leave the apples for 2 hours so that they give juice.


5. After the time has elapsed, put the container on the stove and bring the mass to a boil, reduce the heat and boil for 7-10 minutes. Then remove from heat and cool. Grind fruit with a blender.


6. You should have a puree. Pour the cinnamon into it and mix everything well.


7. Put the container back on the stove, put a small fire and bring the consistency to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes. Then pour the jam into sterilized jars and roll up under metal lids.


Cool blanks and store in a cool place. It makes for a very flavorful treat!

The classic recipe for jam from apples white pouring

Well, this cooking method is good because overripe fruits are suitable for it. Plus, the use of the white filling variety allows you to make preparations very early, for example, in Tula, these fruits are already in full swing. So I already put a couple of jars in the pantry.

Ingredients:

  • Apples - 1 kg;
  • Sugar - 0.5 kg.

Cooking method:

1. Wash and dry fruits. Peel the fruit from the peel, remove the core and seeds.


2. Now finely chop the apples or grate them on a coarse grater.


3. Sprinkle apples with sugar, cover and leave for 30 minutes.

4. After 30 minutes, juice will appear. Stir the workpiece and put on a slow fire.


Bring to a boil and boil for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then take the pan off the heat and wait until it cools down completely. When the brew has cooled, put it back on the fire and cook for another 5-10 minutes.

Repeat the procedure described above 3-4 times so that the pieces of fruit become soft and boiled. For a homogeneous consistency, you can chop the apples with a blender.

5. The finished delicacy should have a caramel hue and a uniform texture. Jam should be poured hot into sterile jars and closed with lids. Then wrap the jars with a blanket and leave overnight to cool.


In the morning, store the blanks for storage in a cool and dark place.

An easy way to cook in a slow cooker

Also, apple treats can be cooked in a slow cooker. There are no difficulties here, the only thing we will add is a little water.

You will need: apples - 1 kg; sugar - 500 gr.; water - 200 ml.

Apple jam with orange for the winter

And now I propose to dilute our yummy with citrus notes. Plus, you get an amber-colored treat. Also included are spices. You may or may not add them.

And the cooking recipe is a little more complicated than in the previous versions, but it's worth it to try it.

Ingredients:

  • Apples - 2 kg;
  • Brown sugar - 0.5 tbsp.;
  • White sugar - 2 tbsp.;
  • Apple cider vinegar - 1 tbsp.;
  • Water - 3 tbsp.;
  • Vanilla - 1 teaspoon;
  • Cinnamon - 2 teaspoons;
  • Nutmeg - 0.5 tsp;
  • Orange - 2 pieces.

Cooking method:

1. Wash the fruits and cut them into quarters. Remove the core.

2. Take a large pot and pour water into it, bite. Place the container on moderate heat. Next, bring the liquid to a boil and then add the apples.

3. Cover the pan with a lid, reduce the heat and boil the contents for 45 minutes. In this case, the fruits need to be mixed often.


4. After cooking, cool the workpiece, and then wipe through a sieve. The skin must be discarded.

5. Transfer applesauce to a saucepan and add sugar. Next, you need to add orange juice and zest, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix the mass well and place the container in the refrigerator overnight.

6. The first 4 hours the mass should be stirred every 30 minutes, and in the last 2 hours - every 15 minutes.

7. In the morning, pour the jam into sterile jars and cover with lids. Sterilize the blanks in the usual way for you, roll up. Cool and store away.

How to cook jam from apples through a meat grinder

Usually we always associate jam with a homogeneous puree-like mass. In previous recipes, we achieved this consistency using a blender, sieve or pusher. Now I propose to use a meat grinder, and why not? After all, it was the only one used before).

Ingredients:

  • Peeled apples - 1 kg;
  • Sugar - 300-400 grams.

Cooking method:

1. Wash the fruits, peel and cut into 4-5 parts. Remove bones.


2. Pass the slices through a meat grinder and sprinkle with sugar. Mix well.


3. Cook the resulting puree over low heat for 40 minutes. Don't forget to stir the contents. When the apples become soft and do not crunch, then the treat is ready.


Pour it into sterile jars and roll up. Cool and put in the cellar.

We cook quickly transparent jam from apple slices

But some people like to make this dessert the other way around, not turning the fruit into a puree, but preparing it in slices. Well, let's take a look at this technology.

Ingredients:

  • Apples - 1 kg;
  • Sugar - 800 gr.;
  • Citric acid - 1 teaspoon;
  • Water - 300 ml.

Cooking method:

1. Wash the apples, cut the core and cut them into slices. Pour water into a bowl and dilute citric acid in it. Dip the fruit slices into the liquid, but no more than 20 minutes so that the fruits do not darken.



3. This is how the workpiece should look like over time:


4. Now put the bowl on the fire and bring the mass to a boil. Then boil the delicacy for 10 minutes and remove from heat. Cool down.


5. The cooled jam must be put on fire again. Then bring it to a boil, boil for 15 minutes and cool. After cooling, repeat this procedure again.



Jam from apples at home for pies

As you can see, all recipes are almost the same and simple. The main thing is to collect ripe fruits and not digest the treat. That is, boil the dessert in several approaches, with breaks for cooling.

And to consolidate, I propose to watch a detailed video on cooking classic apple jam for the winter.

This is where I end the story and say goodbye to you! Do not forget to share recipes on social networks, write comments. And be sure to prepare a couple of jars of thick and tasty jam from apples in the winter.

Jam is not only a delicious delicacy, it is also a very simple preparation that allows you to quickly process large volumes of berries and fruits of various qualities. It was the invention of the jam recipe that once helped the savvy Poles save a huge crop of the famous Hungarian plum. And until now, housewives put aside ingenious jam recipes and undertake to cook jam when a large number of fruits need to be used.

To make jam, fruit or berry puree is made, and then it is boiled with sugar. The result is a sweet and sour delicacy that is smooth in texture without hard spools or pieces. At the same time, good jam does not resemble syrup, it is always thick.

Jam is often confused with jam, jam or confiture, but these blanks differ in the manufacturing process and appearance. Jam is made from pieces of fruit in sugar syrup so that they retain their shape. Confiture and jelly - dense and transparent, like glass, they are made from the juice of fruits and berries with good gelling properties or with the addition of thickeners. In confiture, pieces of fruit are evenly distributed, in jelly they are not.

Most often, confusion is obtained when distinguishing between jam and marmalade. Jam is made from pieces of ripe fruit, and jam from fruit puree. Fruit raw materials for jam are quickly boiled into a single mass over high heat, so pectin is not destroyed, and the workpiece is thick, while jam is slowly boiled over low heat.

The technology for making jam is very simple, but in order for the delicacy to turn out delicious and last until winter, you need to follow these steps:

The big plus of jam is that it can be prepared from raw materials of any quality, the main thing is to take ripe, fairly soft berries and fruits. They do not have to be perfect - overripe, damaged, rumpled fruits are also suitable. Before cooking, they should only be carefully cleaned and washed, and damaged segments removed.

Jam has a strong association with apples, but preparations are also made from other fruits and berries - for example, recipes for plum, pear, apricot jam are very popular. You can also make a variety of assorted. In addition, various spices are often added to jam - cinnamon, mint, basil, cloves.

It is believed that the ideal jam should have a sweet and sour taste, so if the fruits from which the preparation is made are very sweet, it is recommended to add a little citric acid to the recipe at the final stage.

Jam can be prepared in two ways:

  1. from pieces or halves of peeled fruits (for example, from plums or apricots),
  2. from fruit and berry puree.

There are several options for obtaining gruel of the desired consistency from fruits:

  • Grind raw berries or fruits with a meat grinder,
  • Rub already boiled and peeled fruits through a sieve (you can use a blender instead of a sieve, then the yield of the finished product will be greater).

To prepare the fruits for grinding with a sieve, they should not be boiled for a long time, it is enough to soften the peel. You need to put the berries or fruits, cut into pieces, in a saucepan, pour a little water on the bottom so that the fruits do not burn at the first moment, and heat it up, while kneading it a little with a wooden spoon or crusher. In addition, you can soften the fruit in a steam bath - for example, using a slow cooker.

If you take some berries for jam and wipe them through a sieve, the output will be liquid syrup or a preparation more reminiscent of jelly, in this case it is better to make combo options, combining berries with apples, pears and other fleshy fruits.

When the fruit mass is ready, you can start boiling the jam. For this procedure, it is necessary to prepare wide stainless steel dishes, in such a container the liquid from the puree will evaporate faster - as a result, the heat treatment period can be reduced.

After pouring the fruit mass into a saucepan, it must be brought to a boil over low heat. And then boil until the desired density. All this time, the workpiece must be stirred with a wooden spoon to prevent burning. Sugar is added to the jam in small portions only when it begins to thicken.

The degree of readiness is of fundamental importance for jam, so experienced housewives have several ways to determine at once that it is time to remove the workpiece from the fire:

  1. If the path that is formed when you run along the bottom of the saucepan is visible and fills slowly, then the jam is ready.
  2. An indirect sign of the readiness of jam can be its volume - it should decrease by about half, compared with the original.
  3. A spoonful of ready-made jam on a cold saucer or five minutes in the refrigerator, hardens a little and stops spreading.

Often the question arises whether it is possible not to twist the jam. The answer depends on the ingredients and cooking time. If the jam is normally boiled down, and granulated sugar is added to it in a 1: 1 ratio (or even 1.5 kg of sugar per 1 liter of applesauce), then there will be no problems with storing cans if the following conditions are met:

  • The jam must be carefully poured hot into sterilized jars, wait until the jam has completely cooled down, and a film forms on the surface. After that, you can close the jars with ordinary screw caps.
  • The ideal conditions for storing such jam would be a dry, dark, well-ventilated place, without temperature changes - in such conditions it can be stored for 2 years. If jam is planned to be stored in an apartment, then it must be kept away from batteries and other heat sources.
  • There is one more step, which involves the traditional technology of making jam - baking the workpiece to form a protective crust. Modern housewives often skip this stage, considering it too time-consuming. In fact, it is enough to load the jars into the oven and hold them there at a low temperature until a film forms. This simple procedure will increase the shelf life of jam. After baking, you need to wait until the workpiece has cooled down and cork the jars.
  • When the hostess uses a seaming machine and they want to close the jam with turnkey metal lids, then this should be done without waiting for cooling, immediately after pouring the hot jam.
  • If sugar has not been added to the jam or it has undergone a very short heat treatment, then the filled jars must be further sterilized. It is better to close such a workpiece hermetically with a seaming machine or store it in the refrigerator.
  • Some housewives put quite a bit of sugar in jam (1 cup per 1 kg), the safety of such jam even under metal lids is a concern. Plus, sometimes there are not enough glass jars for harvesting. Here the thought appears - is it possible to freeze jam like fruit puree. In principle, this is possible - seal the workpiece in plastic containers and send it to the freezer. However, there is one minus - after defrosting, the jam will become more watery, and in order to return the proper density, it will have to be boiled again.

Even such a simple process as harvesting has its own marmalade, has its own subtleties, non-observance of which can lead to undesirable results:

Almost all of these problems can be solved by strict adherence to the cooking technology and making adjustments to the recipe.

A distinctive feature of jam is its thick consistency, therefore, when starting to make this dessert, you need to know how much moisture the finished jam contains. In an ideal workpiece, there should not be more than 35% moisture. Also, the density is related to the amount of sugar - in traditional jam it should be at least 60%, although now there are recipes without sugar.

If the jam does not thicken, you need to add sugar or continue boiling. Also, we must take into account that when cooled, the workpiece will become much thicker. Experienced housewives sometimes cook jam not at once, but with a break of several hours, so you can check whether the dessert will be thick after cooling.

Mold spots appear on the surface of the jam if the following mistakes were made during the preparation, capping or storage of the workpiece:

  • jam was undercooked,
  • hot jam was closed leaky, and condensation formed inside,
  • the jam was not completely cooled, they did not wait for the formation of a protective crust before closing with screw or polyethylene lids.

Many housewives simply remove the mold layer by 1-1.5 cm, and digest the jam with the addition of sugar. However, this is a risky undertaking, because. if the mold has settled from above, then its spores have already penetrated the entire workpiece through and through and boiling is unable to destroy all the toxins that they managed to isolate.

Burning sharply worsens the taste of jam and changes the natural color of the fruit from which it is made, so it is very important to cook the dessert according to all the rules. Jam is prepared in any wide stainless steel bowl, constantly stirring with a wooden spatula or spoon.

Namely, in order to avoid burning, the workpiece is first boiled down, and then sugar is carefully kneaded and continues to be heated over low heat. Also, you can not take on too large volumes of cooking jam (more than 10 kg), because. such a quantity of the workpiece cannot be stirred normally, and the jam will inevitably burn.

Burnt jam contains toxins, so it is undesirable to eat it. However, there are housewives who dare to save the top of the jam by boiling it with citrus fruits to kill the smell.

The dishes in which jam has burnt can be quickly brought to perfect condition - just boil water with citric acid in it and rub the surface with a sponge with a rough surface.

Any blanks, including jam, should be checked more often. If bubbles appear on the surface, then it is better to open the jam and smell it. The presence of a sour smell reminiscent of wine will mean that the workpiece has begun to ferment. Fermentation usually has two causes:

  • Lack of granulated sugar, ideally, it should be contained in jam in a ratio of 1: 1 (and for some fruits it is better to put 1.5 kg of sand per 1 liter of fruit puree).
  • Non-compliance with the cooking technology - for example, the jam was not cooked.

Fermented jam can be digested with the addition of granulated sugar (about 100-150 g per 1 kg of dessert) for 5-7 minutes. If foam appears during this process, it must be carefully removed. It is better to decompose the reanimated jam into small jars and send it to the refrigerator;

Jam for baking

Jam is one of the most popular fillings for a variety of pastries. However, even a thick-looking blank often presents surprises; when heated, it begins to melt, softening the dough. That's why housewives are puzzled over why jam flows out of pies and how to make jam thick for baking.

I would very much like the fruit dessert to be as firmly sealed in a pie as syrup in a fruit candy. The hostess has many ways to help solve the problem of liquid filling. The amount of thickener is always individual, it depends on the density of the original product.

  • Add 1 teaspoon of semolina to 1 cup of jam and leave for 15 minutes, then bring to a boil and cool. The jam becomes thicker, and the semolina does not change the original taste of the dessert.
  • Rolled out dough for pies can be sprinkled with a little starch (preferably corn starch). In the oven, the jam will boil, the starch will dissolve, and the filling will become thicker. If you need to decide how to thicken the jam with starch for a large pie, then you can add 1 teaspoon of starch with a slide (diluted in a small amount of water) to 1 cup of jam and boil, the dessert will thicken when it cools.
  • Add ground biscuits with a neutral taste to the jam, the biscuits can be crushed with a rolling pin.
  • Add pectin, agar-agar, berry puree powder or other gelling agents to the jam.
  • Combine jam with wheat flour, oatmeal or breadcrumbs in a proportion of about 1 tablespoon per glass of jam.
  • Whisk the egg whites vigorously until foamy and add to the jam.

Jam is, first of all, a fragrant delicacy, it cannot be perceived as a healthy product that can be eaten in jars. Long-term boiling eliminates almost all vitamins from jam, especially vitamin C and B vitamins suffer. Heat treatment does not affect only pectin, organic acids and minerals. But sugar does not go anywhere during cooking, so eating a sweet dessert without measure can lead to heart problems, obesity, increased blood glucose levels, and irritation of the gastric mucosa.

If you care about the figure, it is always better to choose a spoonful of homemade jam than a piece of store-bought cake. However, it is impossible to say unequivocally whether it is possible to jam when losing weight, because. a negative or positive answer depends on how much sugar is in the dessert.

If about 600-700 g of sugar was added per 1 kg of fruit puree, then the calorie content of jam per 100 g is 250 Kcal, this is a very large figure, you can eat quite a bit of such a dessert. It is a completely different matter if the preparation is made without sugar, or only 100-200 g of granulated sugar per 1 kg of product, in this case, a fruit dessert will be a welcome delicacy on the menu of a losing weight person.

Homemade jam has a very simple composition - fruits, berries, water, sugar - all these ingredients are not fast, so this preparation can be used in Lent. In many monasteries, many jars of marmalade and jam made from fruits grown by monks or donated by parishioners are closed every year.

Despite the proven composition of homemade jam, there are conditions in which it should be used with caution. If there is a history of chronic diseases, you should familiarize yourself with the following range of questions:

Jam is more useful for a patient with pancreatitis than purchased sweets. Moreover, jam is made from grated fruits that have undergone heat treatment - this is the consistency of dishes recommended for people suffering from pancreatitis.

However, it can be introduced into the diet only in a state of stable remission, because. It is a product rich in glucose. For its processing requires insulin produced by the pancreas. It is this organ that becomes inflamed with pancreatitis, and it cannot be loaded.

When the aggravation has receded, you can try a homemade delicacy, you should start with one teaspoon of jam, mixed in a drink. If the body responds normally to the dessert, the serving can be increased to 2-3 teaspoons per day. Preference should be given to jam from sweet fruits, a good solution would be harvesting with a small amount of sugar or no sugar at all.

In acute gastritis with pain, a person chooses the most sparing food that will gently affect the inflamed gastric mucosa, so eating jam is not recommended. In the chronic course of the disease, homemade jam can be introduced into the diet in small doses. With gastritis with high acidity, jam from sweet berries and fruits should be chosen so as not to activate excessive gastric secretion and the production of hydrochloric acid. A diet for gastritis with low acidity should act in the opposite way, so sour jam is more suitable for it.

The calorie content of traditional jam with sugar is at least 250-260 kcal per 100 g of product. It would seem that such figures completely exclude this dessert from the diet of diabetics. However, there are many jam recipes that can lower the glycemic index of this treat. The first option is to make jam with one of the sweeteners (for example, take xylitol or sorbitol in the same amount in which sugar is required according to the recipe; a little more sorbitol is required). The second way is to cook jam without sugar at all, in this case, the workpiece must be stored in the refrigerator or sterilized and rolled up on a turnkey basis. It is best to boil this jam for 4-5 days for 10-15 minutes.

There are such periods in life when the selection of products is of key importance, so it is imperative to have information on the following points:

A woman carrying a child under her heart should be very careful in choosing a diet. Purchased sweets may contain various preservatives, so it is better for a pregnant woman not to touch them, but high-quality homemade jam is a suitable dessert for a future mother. However, even such a harmless, at first glance, delicacy should be eaten in moderation - 2-3 tablespoons a day, because. traditional jam is a very high-calorie product, and a pregnant woman needs to follow her figure. Excessive weight gain can complicate pregnancy. Jam is also contraindicated in such a serious complication as gestational diabetes.

The period of breastfeeding is a very crucial moment, at which the mother's diet must be carefully formed; the baby tries all the products together with the mother through breast milk. Homemade jam, without additives and preservatives, is one of the most suitable desserts, however, it is better to try to introduce this sweetness into the diet not earlier than when the baby grows up to 3-4 months, and he will have a period of colic and other stomach troubles.

If the season did not allow you to first try a fresh berry or fruit in small quantities, in order to find out if the child has an allergy or an undesirable reaction from the gastrointestinal tract, then you should start with 1 spoonful of jam in tea. If everything is in order, then the portion can be increased to 2-3 tablespoons per day.

In the menu of a child, starting from 2-3 years old, jam can become a rare, and not a daily delicacy. It is permissible to introduce 1-2 teaspoons into the diet 1-2 times a week, if the child has no additional contraindications. The main thing is that the child should drink a treat, then "fast" carbohydrates will enter the body in a diluted form.