Adding Pectin

[cecil39]

I made some peach jam yesterday, although I put in some gooseberry juice and a sachet of pectin to 3lbs of fruit it did not set, if I re- boil it with another sachet of pectin will it taste of the pectin, I don't want to add lemon juice as last time I did that the jam tasted more lemony than peachy, opinions please.

[Clanad]

Mix the additional pectin in about a cup of sugar before adding to the already boiling (lightly) jam mixture. Sorry for the U.S. measure… I think a cup is equal to about 1/4 of a liter if that helps… You did use about 3 pounds of sugar originally, didn't you?

[boxtops]

I made lime and lemon marmalade, and blackberry and apple jam, last week, and I didn't use any pectin at all, just boiled away at the fruit with what seemed like a vast amount of sugar. I've never added pectin - it's the boiling at specific temperature which is important. Did you use a jam thermometer?

[mazie]

Did you leave the stones in cecil?

[cecil39]

Thanks clanad, yes I did use 3lbs of sugar, and no I did not boil the stones mazie, although now you say it my mother used to crack the stones and put them in a bag, I never knew what she did with them, maybe she boiled them with the fruit, but no recipe I've seen mentions that, ok so I boil it up with more pectin today and fingers crossed.

[mazie]

The stones help the jam set cecil

[boxtops]

Good luck, cecil - let us know!

[Clanad]

I'm sure everyone is aware that peach "pits" (as they're called here in the U.S.) as well as apricot stones and even apple seeds contain a substance (amygdalin) that, when digested produces small amounts of cyanide. Granted, one would have to eat a truck load of pits to be made ill, but why take the chance (unless you're French, in which case you would joyfully use as many pits as you could find to make various dishes, including amaretto, which uses the interior kernel of the pit (called a noyau).

Anyways…a lot of folks don't like to use commercial pectin, which I don't understand, because it's simply made from apples. I use it with ease on everything and don't have a shelf load of unset jams, jellies and preserves… I'm just saying...

[cecil39]

thanks everyone, the second boiling with some more pectin did the trick, its set lovely now, interesting about the 'pits' that's what my Mum called them,
still lots of peaches to use up though, does anyone know if I can use them in my rumtopf with vodka instead of rum, my Daughter likes vodka but not rum or would it be best to ask that question separately thanks.

[ferlew]

My best ever jam was made from fruit going out of date in Asda....Strawberries, Pink Lady apples, and pears, cost around 60p to make 5 jars. (Microwave method).

[woofgang]

cecil, you can but would need to add really high alcohol volume spirit and plenty of sugar as peaches are so juicy. You might try sugaring the peach slices before adding them to the vodka so as to draw out a lot of the moisture. If the fruit/vodka/sugar mix becomes too dilute, it will spoil or ferment, what keeps it from fermenting or growing mould is the high concentration of sugar and alcohol.
The recipes that are on the net don't use much peach in the vodka for the same reason.