INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

Sweet spreads are a class of foods with many textures, flavors, and
colors. They all consist of fruits preserved mostly by means of sugar
and they are thickened or jellied to some extent. Fruit jelly is a
semi-solid mixture of fruit juice and sugar that is clear and firm
enough to hold its shape. Other spreads are made from crushed or
ground fruit.  Jam also will hold its shape, but it is less firm than
jelly. Jam is  made from crushed or chopped fruits and sugar. Jams made
from a  mixture of fruits are usually called conserves, especially when
they  include citrus fruits, nuts, raisins, or coconut. Preserves are
made  of small, whole fruits or uniform-size pieces of fruits in a
clear  thick, slightly jellied syrup.  Marmalades are soft fruit
jellies  with small pieces of fruit or citrus peel evenly suspended in
a  transparent jelly. Fruit butters are made from fruit pulp cooked
with  sugar until thickened to a spreadable consistency.  INGREDIENTS:
For proper texture, jellied fruit products require the  correct
combination of fruit, pectin, acid, and sugar.  The fruit  gives each
spread its unique flavor and color. It also supplies the  water to
dissolve the rest of the necessary ingredients and furnishes  some or
all of the pectin and acid. Good-quality, flavorful fruits  make the
best jellied products.  Pectins are substances in fruits that form a
gel if they are in the  right combination with acid and sugar.  All
fruits contain some  pectin. Apples, crab apples, gooseberries, and
some plums and grapes  usually contain enough natural pectin to form a
gel. Other fruits,  such as strawberries, cherries, and blueberries,
contain little  pectin and must be combined with other fruits high in
pectin or with  commercial pectin products to obtain gels. Because
fully ripened  fruit has less pectin, one-fourth of the fruit used in
making jellies  without added pectin should be underripe.  Caution:
Commercially frozen and canned juices may be low in natural  pectins
and make soft textured spreads.  The proper level of acidity is
critical to gel formation. If there is  too little acid, the gel will
never set; if there is too much acid,  the gel will lose liquid (weep).
For fruits low in acid, add lemon  juice or other acid ingredients as
directed.  Commercial pectin  products contain acids which help to
ensure gelling.  Sugar serves as a preserving agent, contributes
flavor, and aids in  gelling. Cane and beet sugar are the usual sources
of sugar for jelly  or jam. Corn syrup and honey may be used to replace
part of the sugar  in recipes, but too much will mask the fruit flavor
and alter the gel  structure. Use tested recipes for replacing sugar
with honey and corn  syrup. Do not try to reduce the amount of sugar in
traditional  recipes. Too little sugar prevents gelling and may allow
yeasts and  molds to grow.  JAM AND JELLIES WITH REDUCED SUGAR: Jellies
and jams that contain  modified pectin, gelatin, or gums may be made
with noncaloric  sweeteners. Jams with less sugar than usual also may
be made with  concentrated fruit pulp, which contains less liquid and
less sugar.  Two types of modified pectin are available for home use.
One gels with  one-third less sugar. The other is a low-methoxyl pectin
which  requires a source of calcium for gelling. To prevent spoilage,
jars  of these products must be processed longer in a boiling-water
canner.  Recipes and processing times provided with each modified
pectin  product must be followed carefully. The proportions of acids
and  fruits should not be altered, as spoilage may result.  Acceptably
gelled refrigerator fruit spreads also may be made with  gelatin and
sugar substitutes. Such products spoil at room  temperature, must be
refrigerated, and should be eaten within 1 month.  PREVENTING SPOILAGE:
Even though sugar helps preserve jellies and  jams, molds can grow on
the surface of these products.  Research now  indicates that the mold
which people usually scrape off the surface  of jellies may not be as
harmless as it seems. Mycotoxins have been  found in some jars of jelly
having surface mold growth.  Mycotoxins  are known to cause cancer in
animals; their effects on humans are  still being researched.  Because
of possible mold contamination, paraffin or wax seals are no  longer
recommended for any sweet spread, including jellies. To  prevent growth
of molds and loss of good flavor or color, fill  products hot into
sterile Mason jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace,  seal with self-sealing
lids, and process 5 minutes in a boiling-water  canner Correct process
time at higher elevations by adding 1  additional minute per 1,000 ft
above sea level. If unsterile jars are  used, the filled jars should be
processed 10 minutes. Use of sterile  jars is preferred, especially
when fruits are low in pectin, since  the added 5-minute process time
may cause weak gels.
======================================================= === * USDA
Agriculture Information Bulletin No. 539 (rev. 1994) * Meal-Master
format courtesy of Karen Mintzias  From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster
collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini

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