When frozen, your jam may go cloudy, but it will generally return to a clear color once thawed. If you do want to freeze your jam, ensure it's cooked and properly set, before packing it in a freezable, tightly sealed container with around 1/2 inch at the top to allow the jam room to expand. But as explained before, jam generally keeps in the pantry for a long time, so freezing might not always be preferable. Yes, you can freeze homemade jam, for up to 12 months. She adds: "Homemade jam, if it has been made correctly, will last for one and a half to two years but although it should still be safe to eat it will have lost all its brightness and fresh flavour." Can I freeze homemade jam? How long does homemade jam last for?Įlspeth advises keeping homemade jam for one year, but in most cases it can last longer than this, "I would recommend one year only, ideally eat all you have made before then and make fresh at the start of every season." Luckily we have the answers to your most-asked storage question too. Now that you've solved all your most common jam mistakes, it's time to turn your attention to storage. It’s safest not to risk eating jam which has started growing mould. Allow the jam to cool before firmly screwing on airtight lids. Pour hot jam into the jars and put a piece of wax paper neatly on top of the jam, wax side down, ensuring there are no air bubbles. If they contain bacteria this will cause mould. It’s imperative when making jam that the jars are sterile. It may be because bacteria was trapped in the jar, or it may be because the recipe did not contain a sufficient amount of sugar to preserve the fruit. (Image credit: Future/Woman&Home) Why has my jam gone mouldy? Or, to stop it from forming add 1/2 tbsp of glycerine (for every 1kg of fruit) once the sugar has dissolved. When making jam, it’s best to skim off the scum using a slotted spoon while the jam is cooking. However it’s not a deal breaker, and the jam should still taste equally as delicious. There is nothing you can do to fix this in retrospect. Another common cause may be the 'scum' which has surfaced to the top of the jam during cooking - it's very important you skim this off while cooking, to avoid this cloudy effect. This may have been caused by the sugar, which may have crystallized during the cooking process. Why is my jam cloudy?ĭespite your best efforts, sometimes the jam will just go cloudy. The secret is to dissolve sugar thoroughly over very low heat by stirring slowly and gently, frequently checking the liquid on your wooden spoon to make sure all the sugar crystals have dissolved before the temperature is increased to achieve a rolling boil," advises Elspeth.Īlthough it might not look perfect, there's no need to worry about these white lumps - it will still taste alright. "White lumps in jam are generally sugar that has crystallized and hardened. Sometimes mixing the sugar will encourage it to crystallize. When making jam try to limit the amount of stirring you do after adding the sugar. If you've spotted white lumps in your jam, it is most likely sugar crystals. ![]() Sadly if the jam is burnt it’s beyond saving. However, if it’s really overcooked the sugar will give it a bitter burnt taste. ![]() Sometimes overcooked jam can be a good thing, as it has a nice caramel flavor that will work well used in desserts. Your jam may taste bitter because it's over-cooked. Therefore we would recommend that you only add sugar to one jar at a time and store it in the fridge. However, it may also affect the shelf life. Mixing in sugar syrup should give the jam a better consistency. The sugar is dissolved in the water by heating them together and stirring. Sugar syrup is a mixture of equal amounts of water and sugar. If the jam is very firm and has a rubbery consistency, gently warm it while adding the syrup. In this case, it can be thinned out by mixing in a little sugar syrup. It's too late to add more sugar if the jam has already set and cooled. This is to give the jam a better, less firm, consistency. However, you may notice that recipes for jams made using high pectin fruits contain more sugar. The standard ratio in jam is equal measures of sugar to fruit. (Image credit: Future/Woman&Home) Why is my jam too thick?įruits that are high in pectin such as apple, citrus fruits and pear will produce thick jams.
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