Sugar-free jam

[Nikki]

I haven't made jam yet but would like to practice soon, as preserving is going to be a biggie for when we go SSish.

I have preserving books and so have the basic instructions for making jam. Yet they all have sugar in them. I know it's possible to not have sugar, like jams for diabetics, or even that gorgeous jam from the local supermarkets, St something or other, that's just fruit.
Perhaps it's just called a conserve?

So a couple of questions for you jammy experts out there:

I know it doesn't last as long, but what does that mean? a few weeks, a few months?

Any tips for making it? Especially in how it differs from sugar jam making.

tia (thanks in advance)

[Clara]

I´ve been trying to find a recipe for St Dalfour type jams aswell - I suspect you have to add pectin instead of sugar.

Unfortunately if you google sugar-free jam you´ll just end up with recipes containing some awful sweetener instead.

Here´s hoping someone comes up with the goods.....

[Shirley]

http://www.diabetic-lifestyle.com/artic ... ooki_1.htm

or

Sugar-Free Jam Making
Jam making is an ideal way of using up excess summer fruit. And, jam doesn't need to be made with sugar either - sugar-free jam tastes just as good and it is far better for you!

The Gooseberry Jam recipe below, is taken from a leaflet called 'Sugar Free Jam Making, produced by The Wholefood Cookery School. It tastes particularly nice with wholemeal scones. Concentrated fruit juices (such as the apple concentrate used in the recipe below) can be purchased from most health food shops. Remember to store sugar-free jam in the fridge as this will prevent moulds from forming in the jam.

Gooseberry Jam
Ingredients

* 1lb/400g gooseberries fresh or frozen
* 3 sprigs of sweet cicely (It is possible to leave out this ingredient)
* 1/2 pt concentrated apple juice
* ** Clean sterilised jam jars

Method

1. Wash and cook the gooseberries slowly, in their own juice, with the sweet cicely

2. When the skins are soft liquidise or mash the gooseberries and add the concentrated apple juice.

3. Boil until there is a set using the plate test method. *

4. Place in jam jars and leave to cool.

* To test to see if your jam is at setting point use a small plate. Place a little jam on the plate and leave it to cool. Slide your finger into the jam. If the space left by your finger does not cover again, then the jam is at setting point. You can also use a sugar thermometer. - setting point is at 104 degrees C or 220 degrees F.

** To sterilise jam jars: Remove the labels from the jars. Then boil the cleaned jars in a stainless steel or glass pan. Dry the sterilised jars in a low oven before use.

taken from Vegan News

I know that Ina makes jam with less sugar than the norm... and by the sounds of it grape juice will make an acceptable 'sweetener' if this is required. It won't keep as long though - and I think the first link recommends storing it in the freezer.

[Nikki]

Hey Clara - St Dalfour, that's it! yummy stuff.

Yeah, I also found that most internet recipes use sweetners. Whilst I have no problem with the bettter ones, especially Splenda, I prefer to try something more natural.

That link to the diabetic site was weird Shirlz. The first recipe uses 1/3 cup granulated sugar!

From that recipe you've supplied, seems that it's basically like making jam just omitting the sugar and accepting it doesn't last as long. Although I don't think it's necessary to view it negatively like that though - I prefer thinking of it as something different, like it's conserve and lasts X amount of time.

Any tips from those that have tried this themselves would be great.

[Silver Ether]

I make lots of jams and jellies .. and their shelf life ... depends on the quality of the fruit and hygiene. We are currently eating jam that I called Solstice jam because that when I made it last year Mid Summer Solstice that is and its lovely.

I cant help with sugar free never tried but splenda isn't all its cracked up to
http://www.womentowomen.com/nutritionan ... plenda.asp check out the side effects ...

I am back ... had a look round and a lot of the sugar free recipies have gelatin added .. no good if veggie but have found a site that has pectin added, hope its some help.

http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/HGIC3200.htm

[Clara]

Hey Clara - St Dalfour, that's it! yummy stuff.

Yeah, I also found that most internet recipes use sweetners. Whilst I have no problem with the bettter ones, especially Splenda, I prefer to try something more natural.

It´s not that sweeteners taste bad, they are bad for you (better stick in an "alledgely" in case anyone tries to sue Andy) - better to have sugar than sweeteners.

www.truthaboutsplenda.com and countless other sites will prove the point - though the company which makes Splenda has been busy buying up domain names which might be critical e.g splendasucks.org! Wonder why they´re so worried?

Back on topic, not having a conventional fridge, does anyone have any experience real sugar free jams would keep in a pantry?

Clara x.

[Nikki]

Hi silver ether - Splenda is probably the best alternative for those who can't or won't have sugar (diabetics, carb-conscious, those with bowel and yeast problems, etc). Ultimately every food is questioned by some expert out there, but sugar, as natural as it is, isn't good for us either. So, in moderation I'm ok with it...

Ok, I've been reading, reading and reading....

For other preserving noobs out there:

Sugar is necessary in jam making because it is the ingredient that sets the pectin in the fruit (or added pectin). Basically, without sugar it just won't set. Additionally, sugar acts as a preservative, making the jam last a very long time, if properly sealed and stored of course.

So, the alternatives seem to be;
- using a different setting agent such as gelatin or a commercial no-sugar-needed pectin
- making a concoction that must be eaten sooner
- freezing
- long boil method, which reduces the fruit until really thick in effect resembling a jam

Which you choose depends upon your needs/wants and the fruit (some don't freeze well for example).

The thinking needs to be fruit spread, rather than jam.

The easiest thing that springs to mind at the moment is to begin with fruit that has a naturally high content of pectin. I did a search and found that apples, damsons, gooseberries, and redcurrants are among some of these fruits.

Also, sugar adds a LOT to the flavour, so using some sort of sweetening or flavouring ingredient would be best. Some ideas are: lime juice, lemon juice, apple juice, cinnamon, or a sweetener (spledna, etc). Keep in mind that sweeteners can ruin final taste and most don't do well with heat.

Hope that helps someone out there. I've learnt loads today.

[Nikki]

www.truthaboutsplenda.com and countless other sites will prove the point

I understand where you're coming from Clara, but I take the word 'prove' with a huge grain of salt, or is that sugar?

And is not better for everyone to have sugar instead of sweetners.

Somebody that consumes 4 tablespoons worth of sugar a week is not necessarily better off than someone who consumes a few tablets of sweetener a week.

[Nikki]

Back on topic, not having a conventional fridge, does anyone have any experience real sugar free jams would keep in a pantry?

No personal experience of course, but what I've read so far is that without the preservation qualities of the sugar, these fruit spreads need to be kept in the fridge (or I imagine could do ok in a very cold store room).

There are also special commercial pectins with mould inhibiting properties.

[Clara]

We´ll have to agree to disagree...I don´t think sugar is good for you either but my point was that is has to be better than anything concocted in the chemistry lab then passed off as food....better the devil you know and all that. If you´re diabetic, better just to avoid it altogether you don´t need it.

Back on topic and a possible happy ending for us all I saw a recipe for a honey based no-sugar jam on the internet....

**goes googling** http://www.recipezaar.com/49267 that´s just one recipe, though it still requires pectin, I´m sure there are others out there.

Clara x.

PS Thanks for explaining the chemistry of jam making so simply, it´s starting to make sense rather than just seem like magic!

[catalyst]

i bought some stevia seeds online.
haven't grown them yet, so i dont know how easy they are to grow.
but stevia is apparently much sweeter than sugar, probably not mush use as a preservative though!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevia

[Clara]

i bought some stevia seeds online.
haven't grown them yet, so i dont know how easy they are to grow.
but stevia is apparently much sweeter than sugar, probably not mush use as a preservative though!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevia

OOOOH Stevia, now that´s a whole other conspiracy theory

Be interested how you go on growing it Catalyst, what kind of climate do you have?

Clara x.

[Silver Ether]

Nikki how would you get on with fructose ??? I dont know if it can be used in jam making ... googleing again ...

[Nikki]

Hey Clara,

Always happy to agree to disagree. Boring world if we all agreed.
Actually I don't really disagree with you though, especially when it comes to chemical alternatives. Splenda is just sugar spun differently. Doesn't make it ok, but doesn't necessarily make it not ok.
I just don't believe in absolutes - what works well for one person doesn't for another, nor in conclusive expert opinion - truth is pliable depending on who is offering the funding.

Jam making is fun stuff isn't? Have to actually break out a pan and give it a whirl. Will pop of to local grocer tomorrow for some fruit.
That's a yummy looking recipe. I wonder if using extra apple would work in place of commercial pectin? I can see a lot of experimenting in my future.

Silver ether - yep, fructose would work, so would stevia, as sweetners, but not as setting agents for the pectin, I think. For diabetics, and others, fructose is still sugar, just mildly slower to break down than cane sugar.

catalyst - Stevia is as natural as sugar. I'm sure the sugar corporations wouldn't like us to know that though. So yeah, why not try growing it. Would love to know how that turns out for you.
One caution with stevia is that it's not the easiest to cook with, it can turn your food bitter by just going a little over what's necessary. And determining what's necessary might be expensive trial and error.

[Nikki]

I think I'm wrong about the fructose not helping to set. I realised that some fruits set easier, or you can use less cane sugar, because of their high sugar content, essentially, because of their fructose content. So extra fructose should, in theory work.

If I can easily extract fructose, that could work in my SSish lifestyle. Grape juice, apple juice? hmmmm