more than the naturally occurring amount of pectin is needed (like when you want to thicken a fruit juice into a jelly). If your recipe does include such an ingredient, you’ll see the kind of pectin (powdered or liquid) listed.
Never alter the amount of sugar your recipe calls for or use sugar substitutes. Exact amounts of sugar, fruit, and pectin are a must for a good set — that is, a consistency that isn’t too thick to spread or too runny.
Commercial pectin basics
Commercial pectin is available in most supermarkets or where canning supplies are sold. Pectin may be in short supply in the spring and summer months because these are such popular times of year for canning. So be sure you have enough on hand before you start preparing your recipe.
Inspect the pectin container for water stains, holes, or any other sign that it’s come into contact with food (like food stuck to the package). Check to make sure the package is sealed and that it’s not past the use-by date.
Using pectin after the date on the package may affect your final product because the quality of the pectin may have deteriorated. Pectin wasn’t always marked with a date. If your pectin container doesn’t provide an expiration date, don’t use it; it may be a sign that your product is extremely old.
Types of commercial fruit pectin
Pectin is available in two forms: liquid and powdered (dry). Although both products are made from fruit, they’re not interchangeable. Be sure to use the correct type and amount of pectin your recipe calls for.
Using liquid fruit pectin
Liquid pectin is usually made from apples. Today, a box contains two 3-ounce pouches. The most common brand is Certo.
Liquid fruit pectin was originally sold in 6-ounce bottles. Older recipes may call for “one-half of a bottle.” If you read a pouch of liquid pectin today, it states, “1 pouch equals 1/2 bottle.”
Because you have to add your liquid pectin at the specified time and temperature, have it at the ready: Cut off the top of the pouch and stand it in a measuring cup or other container to keep it from spilling (see Figure 6-1). Then, when it’s time to add the liquid pectin, add it all at the same time, squeezing the pouch with your fingers like you do to get the last bit of toothpaste out of the tube.
Figure 6-1: Getting a pouch of liquid pectin ready.
Using powdered (dry) fruit pectin
Powdered pectin is made from citrus fruits or apples. It comes in a box similar to a gelatin- or pudding-mix box and contains 1 3/4 ounces (the most commonly used size) or 2 ounces. Use the size stated in your recipe ingredients, and add it before you heat the fruit mixture.
In addition to different sizes, powdered pectin comes in two varieties: fruit pectin for homemade jams and jellies, and fruit pectin for lower-sugar recipes. Use the variety your recipe calls for; they’re not interchangeable.
Setting Up without Adding Pectin
Not all recipes require the addition of extra pectin. Some recipes cook the fruit mixture for a long period of time, which reduces the liquid in the mixture to achieve the desired consistency.
For this process, you need patience and the knowledge of what to look for when testing your cooked product. Basically, you need to know what the spread’s gel point is. ( Gel point is the cooking point at which jelly is considered done.)
The gel point temperature is 8 degrees above boiling at an elevation of 1,000 feet above sea level or lower (220 degrees). If you’re at an altitude higher than 1,000 feet above sea level, you can determine the temperature of your gel point by bringing a pot of water to a boil. When the water boils, check the temperature on your thermometer and add 8 degrees. This is the gel point for your altitude.
Use one of the following methods for testing the gel point:
A candy thermometer: This is the most accurate method for testing the gel point of your spread. Use a thermometer that’s easy to read. One degree over or under the
Never alter the amount of sugar your recipe calls for or use sugar substitutes. Exact amounts of sugar, fruit, and pectin are a must for a good set — that is, a consistency that isn’t too thick to spread or too runny.
Commercial pectin basics
Commercial pectin is available in most supermarkets or where canning supplies are sold. Pectin may be in short supply in the spring and summer months because these are such popular times of year for canning. So be sure you have enough on hand before you start preparing your recipe.
Inspect the pectin container for water stains, holes, or any other sign that it’s come into contact with food (like food stuck to the package). Check to make sure the package is sealed and that it’s not past the use-by date.
Using pectin after the date on the package may affect your final product because the quality of the pectin may have deteriorated. Pectin wasn’t always marked with a date. If your pectin container doesn’t provide an expiration date, don’t use it; it may be a sign that your product is extremely old.
Types of commercial fruit pectin
Pectin is available in two forms: liquid and powdered (dry). Although both products are made from fruit, they’re not interchangeable. Be sure to use the correct type and amount of pectin your recipe calls for.
Using liquid fruit pectin
Liquid pectin is usually made from apples. Today, a box contains two 3-ounce pouches. The most common brand is Certo.
Liquid fruit pectin was originally sold in 6-ounce bottles. Older recipes may call for “one-half of a bottle.” If you read a pouch of liquid pectin today, it states, “1 pouch equals 1/2 bottle.”
Because you have to add your liquid pectin at the specified time and temperature, have it at the ready: Cut off the top of the pouch and stand it in a measuring cup or other container to keep it from spilling (see Figure 6-1). Then, when it’s time to add the liquid pectin, add it all at the same time, squeezing the pouch with your fingers like you do to get the last bit of toothpaste out of the tube.
Figure 6-1: Getting a pouch of liquid pectin ready.
Using powdered (dry) fruit pectin
Powdered pectin is made from citrus fruits or apples. It comes in a box similar to a gelatin- or pudding-mix box and contains 1 3/4 ounces (the most commonly used size) or 2 ounces. Use the size stated in your recipe ingredients, and add it before you heat the fruit mixture.
In addition to different sizes, powdered pectin comes in two varieties: fruit pectin for homemade jams and jellies, and fruit pectin for lower-sugar recipes. Use the variety your recipe calls for; they’re not interchangeable.
Setting Up without Adding Pectin
Not all recipes require the addition of extra pectin. Some recipes cook the fruit mixture for a long period of time, which reduces the liquid in the mixture to achieve the desired consistency.
For this process, you need patience and the knowledge of what to look for when testing your cooked product. Basically, you need to know what the spread’s gel point is. ( Gel point is the cooking point at which jelly is considered done.)
The gel point temperature is 8 degrees above boiling at an elevation of 1,000 feet above sea level or lower (220 degrees). If you’re at an altitude higher than 1,000 feet above sea level, you can determine the temperature of your gel point by bringing a pot of water to a boil. When the water boils, check the temperature on your thermometer and add 8 degrees. This is the gel point for your altitude.
Use one of the following methods for testing the gel point:
A candy thermometer: This is the most accurate method for testing the gel point of your spread. Use a thermometer that’s easy to read. One degree over or under the
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