Help....My jam won't set

wannabemoneysavingstar

Hi,

Sorry to hear about your jam, I made victoria plum jam last week from a very old recipe and had to use 1lb of fruit to 1lb of sugar. Thought it wasn't going to set was a little runny but still did the wrinkle when its cooler on a plate thing, and by the next morning it had set in the jars, if it hadn't set was going to use it as porridge topping. :rolleyes:

charlies_mum

Have put some on a plate and left to cool - think I may have been trying to wrinkle it too soon - patience has never been my strong point :rolleyes:

Put some dried cinnamon into it, and it tastes lovely, so just hoping it will set

wannabemoneysavingstar

You have patience like mine, I had nearly filled a plate with test bits till it started to wrinkle, sounds like you should be ok

charlies_mum

Moany,

Where did you get your sugar thermometer from ?

Pink.

Hi Charlies_mum,

There's an earlier thread with tips on getting jam to set that may help so I've added your post to it to keep the suggestions together.

Pink

moanymoany

charlies_mum wrote: »

Moany,

Where did you get your sugar thermometer from ?

I got it from Lakeland Plastics, but only because I was buying something else. It should be easy to get one at a supermarket.

I made marmelade at the weekend and it reached the temperature in 10 minutes. It wasn't wrinkling, but after my last batch of 'toffee marmelade' I stopped it boiling and left some. It set nicely after about 15 minutes so I put it into jars.

When I was at school I made plum jam in Housecraft. It wouldn't set and the teacher made me boil it for ages. In the end she said just put it in the jars.

When I got home it had set - boy had it set - we couldn't get a knife in it and it was all thrown out - jars and all.

Tricky stuff plum jam!

LameWolf

If it's any help, when making jam from low-pectin fruit, I use lemon juice, but I also keep the pips from the lemons, tie them in a cotton bag (made from an old shirt sleeve - very MSE) and put that in with the fruit to boil. I then remove it before adding the sugar. I never use special sugar, or Certo, and certainly not gelatin, as I'm a veggie. I've never yet had a problem getting the jam to set. I think the lemon pips contain a high dose of pectin, and this makes the difference.

moanymoany

charlies_mum wrote: »

Have put some on a plate and left to cool - think I may have been trying to wrinkle it too soon - patience has never been my strong point :rolleyes:

Put some dried cinnamon into it, and it tastes lovely, so just hoping it will set

Did it set charlies-mum?

charlies_mum

It was still really runny, so I put it all back into the pan, added some lemon juice and boiled again. Last night it was still runny, but this morning it had set - I haven't opened a jar, so who knows, it might be like cement

jammy_dodger

i have made and put in jars gooseberry jelly jam have made it before but this batch when i have come to use it is not quite set firm enough ..would it be possible to decant the jars back into pan and reboil it ? or should i just put up with a runny jelly help much appreciated cheers