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Wax Circles / Discs for Jam making anyone?

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  • mrs_baggins
    mrs_baggins Posts: 1,290 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    can someone help in the next 30 minutes??? making some jam and read up on it and everywhere says waxed discs go on as soon as its put into jar? well I havent got any waxed discs will greaseproof paper do cut into a circle? is the disc there to form a barrier against mould?
  • TAG
    TAG Posts: 2,823 Forumite
    I haven't got the answer to your question. But if I were in the same boat I'd use greaseproof too. Hopefully someone more knowledgeable will be along in a minute.
  • mrs_baggins
    mrs_baggins Posts: 1,290 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    gosh! that was quick! thanks anyway!
  • jannyannie
    jannyannie Posts: 797 Forumite
    Hi

    You can also use the bag that cereal comes in inside the box.
  • mrs_baggins
    mrs_baggins Posts: 1,290 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    would never have thought of that one!!! as it turned out there wasnt as much jam as I had anticipated so it fitted into a smaller jar and I had a disc for that. but thank you both anyway!!
  • champys
    champys Posts: 1,101 Forumite
    Here in France waxed discs don't exist at all - everyone uses those little squares of cellophane to cover the jar, with a rubber band to hold it taut, then screw on the lid. I use those too now, and it works fine. My aunt never used anything at all - she just made sure jars and lids were very clean and put the lid on while the jam was still hot. My mother did the same, with the addition of a teaspoon of liqueur or brandy on top of the jam before closing the jars! I have never seen their jam go mouldy. So no need to panic, if you find yourself without your usual equipment.
    "Remember that many of the things you have now you could once only dream of" - Epicurus
  • thriftlady_2
    thriftlady_2 Posts: 9,128 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker I've been Money Tipped!
    champys wrote: »
    Here in France waxed discs don't exist at all - everyone uses those little squares of cellophane to cover the jar, with a rubber band to hold it taut, then screw on the lid. I use those too now, and it works fine. My aunt never used anything at all - she just made sure jars and lids were very clean and put the lid on while the jam was still hot. My mother did the same, with the addition of a teaspoon of liqueur or brandy on top of the jam before closing the jars! I have never seen their jam go mouldy. So no need to panic, if you find yourself without your usual equipment.
    I think different countries have different practices when it comes to preserving. Read any American book on preserving or canning as they call it and you'll be instructed to process the preserve in a hot water bath. This is indeed what you need to do if you are bottling fruit and veg but in the UK we don't use a water bath for jams, jellies or chutneys -just pot and go.

    So it is interesting to see that the French don't use the wax discs. Maybe I won't restock my supply of discs especially as I found out recently on here that I'd been using them the wrong way up all these years:rolleyes:

    I think greaseproof paper would work fine ;)
  • whatatwit
    whatatwit Posts: 5,424 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    I'm sure that when I watched the program about Great British Gardens..or was it about the village shows. Anyway, it was one where they toured the country going round the shows and testing the jam stalls etc.
    Well, whatever it was, one of the judges was moaning about entries that had the waxed disc and a metal lid.
    They said it was not necessary, only use the disc if the top was to have the cellophane and rubber band to seal it.

    Often, if the jars are sealed with a lid whilst still hot, the lids pops down and forms an airtight seal.
    Official DFW Nerd Club - Member no: 203.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 12,492 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    If you put 1 tsp of spirit (whisky, brandy etc) on top of the jam and under the cellophane, you will never get mouldy jam
  • Le_Foot
    Le_Foot Posts: 162 Forumite
    Hi Everyone.
    I bought some cheap strawberries back from the market today, and I have got some jam sugar. Has anyone got a recipe & method for making strawberry jam. I'd like to do it later this afternoon, as I don't think the strawberries will keep too much longer (I suppose thats why they were cheap.) so please come back to me soon if you can help.

    Thanks a million.;)
    Feb. G.C. From Jan 26th £350.00
    First month..pure guess!! Wk. 1 £136.38 balance £213.62. Wk.2 £108.10p balance £105.52
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