This year we changed our recipe to one that makes low sugar jam using calcium activated pectin. This method will actually allow me to use honey instead of refined sugar. This time I used sucanat for most of it and used my father-in-law's honey for the last two batches. All batches really tasted the same and set up well.
I was inspired to look for the calcium activated pectin because in the past I've been on a diet where refined sugar is forbidden. I finally got the motivation to do more research this year because I don't want to make jam with refined sugar yet again and end up not being able to eat the jam for an extended period of time.
I found the pectin at a health food store and followed the instructions on the insert. I liked the flexibility the instructions gave. They gave a minimum amount of sugar that could be used and a maximum amount. I found that there wasn't a lot of difference taste wise between using the maximum amount of sugar and the minimum amount of sugar.
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Interesting! I have bought "light" pectin at the grocery store that requires less sugar, but I don't think that's the kind you're talking about. I have only made two batches of jam, one with less sugar and one with the full amount--and the one with less sugar definitely tasted better, although sadly it turned out very runny! I think this was my fault though, not the pectin. :)
ReplyDeleteI will see if I can find this calcium activated pectin, because I would love to try making jam with honey instead of sugar. Although, maybe you can substitute honey in other kinds of jam, too? I'm really just learning to make jam this year, so there is a lot I don't know.
Laura, you might be able to use it for flavor but from what I understand most pectin is activated by refined sugar and so the natural sugars don't work generally. I did two years of making it with just sugar and berries. This is the first year I've used pectin at all.
ReplyDeleteI need to try this too. We don't like the full sugar jams and jellies, so I always get the low sugar pectins. But when we finally get bees, it makes more sense to use honey, especially since we'd like to cut out refined sugar altogether.
ReplyDeleteLeigh, that's what I'm thinking. I think that we might end up with bees some day though not as long as we are getting honey from my father in law and it would make sense to preserve the fruit with what you have on hand rather than purchasing something else. Not to mention its much healthier!
ReplyDeleteHi - This year I picked green apples to make my own pectin, but time got away from me and I didn't. Here is the link
ReplyDelete/www.kitchenbutterfly.com/2010/09/16/daring-cooks-preserve-how-to-make-preserve-apple-pectin/
What do you think? The honey is an awesome idea!
peace