Electric Jam Maker

mummysaver

I love my jam maker, but then I have to confess that I love gadgets too! That said, my jam maker is great for small quantities, such as the extra hot chilli sauce my son loves, and for using up any small amounts of fruit, esp when a couple of punnets of berries have been reduced, I also use it to extract juice and make jellies - something I really can't be bothered to do otherwise, between the kids and the cats the juice would never get to drip before it got knocked over! The dulce de leche is delicious and no effort, and of course works out a darned sight cheaper than buying little jars of it. Rice pud made in it is apparently nice - I don't much like hm rice pud myself, but the kids like it! I wait till it's cold and set and roll into small ball, deep fry and roll in icing sugar - kids like that too!

Anyway, I do make jams and chutneys in a huge pan, but only for the ones that we use a lot, such as strawberry jam and apple chutney, for smaller quantities the jam maker is great, depends ultimately on whether your dd has the space to store it and would use it.

morganlefay

Indeed you are wise and sensible Thriftlady, but I'd have to say that I have a BM as well as a JM. I used to make rolls and bread that even the DOG (who liked eating shoes) couldn't eat. When small my DDs used to take them to feed the ducks (and pieces hacked off my loaves) but in a spirit of girlish glee they would sometimes throw them 'at' the ducks and not 'for' them IYSWIM and some of the ducks got very startled (possibly even hurt - oh dear - but many years ago now) And I did everything right and made a lot of bread until the family begged me to stop as it was always so horrible. I know its easy but just like pastry and jam I never got the knack, so a BM is my delight and I wouldn't be without it. I know the young should be encouraged to cook 'properly' but sometimes, if they haven't got time, or aren't really very good at it a machine can just boost their confidence enough to get them doing other things in the kitchen. (Well that's what I told myself when I bought DD a BM a while back - which she LOVES - and now is quite a good cook !
Gotta go and make my Christmas cake now. Tho I can't make traditional jam, bread or pastry I do make a da*n fine Xmas cake !
Have a nice Monday, all. :rotfl:

Confuzzled

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

But gadgets are fun if you have the room for them and breadmakers can save an enormous amount of time.

they can also save your poor hands if you have an RSI

in fact i only ever used mine on dough mode, then i'd take it out and add goodies and bake it myself as i detest the bread machine texture, but it was well worth it to save my hands!

gadgets are only a waste if you don't really make use of them, even if you only use your gadgets a few months a year if you make good use of them then they are worth it, the real trick is judging if you'll make real use of them

daska

Confuzzled wrote: »

they can also save your poor hands if you have an RSI

in fact i only ever used mine on dough mode, then i'd take it out and add goodies and bake it myself as i detest the bread machine texture, but it was well worth it to save my hands!

gadgets are only a waste if you don't really make use of them, even if you only use your gadgets a few months a year if you make good use of them then they are worth it, the real trick is judging if you'll make real use of them

exactly what I was going to say LOL

I love thriftlady's advice usually but everyone is different and, while I know I can make delicious bread by hand, I simply don't have the energy to do this any more. And yes, I make jam in a saucepan, as little as 4 peaches at a time, it's not difficult but it does mean watching and waiting and stirring etc. I'd love a jam maker and as Lakeland have them reduced to £69.87 I think I'm going to ask for an early christmas pressie :j

thriftlady_2

Daska I am frequently guilty of failing to realise that not everyone is as fit and able-bodied as me, sorry :)

I'm also ever mindful that folk who are new to OS may get the idea that activities such as jamming and bread baking require new equipment, so I like to point out how little really need -I can't really help myself