Making Jam in a Microwave

Trying2Save_3

I was talking to some-one today and they said the quickest, cheapest and easiest way to make Jam is in a Microwave using Preserving or Pectin added sugar. Has anyone made it this way? I have searched the recipe link but can find only one recipe for Jam. I have loads of gooseberries and thought I could make gooseberry jam when they are ready. I've never made jam before so any hints would be good. Thanks.

anguk

I haven't tried these but they may be of some help:
http://www.microwaveassociation.org.uk/recipes/recipes/raspuberry%20Jam.htm
http://www.free-recipes.co.uk/free-recipes/recipe-07088.asp

There's also a recipe for Microwave strawberry jam here:
http://www.silverspoon.co.uk/retail/recipes.asp?cat=7

The only recipe I've found for gooseberries is gooseberry curd:
http://www.blunham.demon.co.uk/Yorksgen/Recipes/PreservesandJams/#GooseberryCurd

squeaky

The hardest thing I found when making jam in the microwave was recognising the setting point.

The recipe is easy, cooking is easy...

..the first time I made jam though, and put a little on a cold plate to see it wrinkle as you push it - I saw what looked like it might be a wrinkle and so decided to give it a couple more minutes. Never saw the wrinkle again and finished up with some perfectly delicious strawberry toffee.

Now I know that the wrinkle effect is really quite small

apprentice_tycoon

This recipe is from the Tate and Lyle Sugar with Pectin leaflet. I'm not sure about doing it in the microwave though, I would use a saucepan myself.

I kilo ripe gooseberries
I kilo sugar with pectin (Jam Sugar as it's called now)

Clean and sort the the goose, roughly chop in a blender
Mix the fruit pulp and sugar in a pan and slowly bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
When a full rolling boil is achieved boil for at least 4 minutes. (test for setting on a cold plate ...AT)
Pot immediately into warm jars and cover.

I have never made gooseberry jam but a friend has and she said that it sometimes turns pink

Allexie

squeaky wrote:

The hardest thing I found when making jam in the microwave was recognising the setting point.

The recipe is easy, cooking is easy...

..the first time I made jam though, and put a little on a cold plate to see it wrinkle as you push it - I saw what looked like it might be a wrinkle and so decided to give it a couple more minutes. Never saw the wrinkle again and finished up with some perfectly delicious strawberry toffee.

Now I know that the wrinkle effect is really quite small

Hiya squeaks

I know just what you mean about the wrinkle effect...I've got a cupboard full of raspberry toffee! I even bought a sugar thermometer but that doesn't seem to help much I just can't seem to get it right.....

squeaky

The wrinkle really is small. Like I said - if you think you've seen it - you probably have

What I did though, was add more water and try again. It didn't actually work but it did thin the product down to a chewy jam sort of consitency which was great for sponge puds

apprentice_tycoon

The wrinkle or plate test is the usual test for setting point but you need a really cold plate to cool the jam quickly AND remember take the pan off the heat while you test. Give the jam on the plate a few seconds to cool down before you push it. If you are unsure that it's cooked enough boil for only around 30 seconds and try again. I would err on the side of it not setting in preference to over-cooking then at least you have a sauce for ice cream if it's not quite firm

The Jam Sugar is very easy to use and is pretty foolproof, but I never make more than 2 jars of jam at a time and because it only takes around 10 minutes IN TOTAL it's quicker to make jam than to go to the shops.

squeaky

I kept my test plate in the freezer!

I'm sure it was just me expecting to see more wrinkling than I did and just sailing merrily past the setting point.

I too will be erring on the side of caution next time I make jam - but as I said, while I didn't exactly get jam the last time, I still managed to finish up with something tasty and edible

Allexie

Is it better to make jam in small quantities then...must admit I've been making huge batches??? I guess if it's going to go wrong it's better it goes wrong in small quantities. Trouble is I know I'm going to be given about half a field of strawberries and the same of raspberries soon....

Chipps

Thanks for this thread, I must admit I have been put off of jam making by the amount of fruit flavoured toffee that I have managed to produce in the past. I too was looking for a really wrinkly sort of wrinkle!
Not sure about making it in the microwave, though.
Actually that may be because my grandma gave me a real, genuine, huge old fashioned preserving pan which I am dying to try out - so old-style!

apprentice_tycoon

I would make small quantities, as you say a small disaster is better than a big one. If you have lots of fruit to jam I would just make lots of small batches. Because it's around 10 minutes from getting the pan out to putting it away again so I would just spend an hour or so doing small batches. if you get really confident then make a bigger batch but that will be when the phone goes and you forget the time .........