Jam and Candied Fruits for the Winter
Any kind of fruits and berries can be prserved for the winter with the help of sugar, which is an excellent preservative, by cooking jam, marmalade or candied fruit. All these types of preservation for the winter have differences in consistency, the content of whole fruits, the degree of boiling, but they all have one thing in common - a high sugar content, which allows you to preserve the natural taste of products for a long time and prevent their premature spoilage.
Preserving Jam for the Winter
Jam is made from any fresh unripe berries and fruits. For every kilogram of berries or fruits, 1 kg of sugar is taken. This ratio makes it possible to obtain a sufficient amount of sugar syrup when cooking jam. Fruits in such a syrup retain their shape well, which gives the jam a pleasant look. Also, the correct ratio of berries and sugar will allow you to store jam longer. Sugar in jam can be replaced with honey, which is taken in the same proportions as sugar. You can take sugar and honey in half, or add a small amount of molasses to the sugar - this will protect the jam from sugaring.
Syrup Making when Cooking Jam
Cooking jam in most cases begins with the making of syrup. Pour the amount of water indicated in the recipe into the measured sugar and boil until the sugar is completely dissolved. The syrup is boiled in a shallow copper basin or in an aluminum pan. When the sugar dissolves, remove the syrup from the fire, put the berries or fruits, put it back on the fire and let it boil over high heat. When cooking jam, the dishes must be periodically shaken slightly so that the berries or fruits are immersed in the syrup. When cooking the jam, it is necessary to remove the foam and shake the dishes slightly. It is very important to determine the moment of readiness of the jam, since the quality and duration of storage of the jam depends on it.
Determining of Jam Readiness
Jam can be considered ready if a drop of syrup poured on a saucer does not blur, but retains its shape. In addition, in the finished jam, berries and fruits do not float, but are evenly distributed in the syrup and in most cases become transparent. When the jam is fully cooked, you need to remove the foam, let the jam cool, and then transfer it to a glass jar, cover with damp parchment paper and tie with twine. Keep the jam in a cool dry place.
Preservation for the Winter – Jam, Marmalade and Candied Fruit
Jam and other Jam Cooking
What is the difference between jam and other jam? When cooking jam, it is necessary to ensure that the fruits or berries retain their shape, it is also necessary to maintain the purity and transparency of the syrup. If you cook jam, then you do not need to strive to preserve the shape of fruits and berries. But the cooking of products is the same as for making jam. https://kashevar.com/en/recipes/preservation Unlike jam, other jam is cooked in one step, and the syrup should have a jelly-like consistency and not spread. Some fruits or berries do not contain a gelling agent in their composition; in such cases, juice from another fruit that has these properties is added to them. Just like jam, jam can be stored in sealed or uncorked jars. The difference between them is only in the degree of boiling.
Marmalade
Further, according to the degree of boiling, there is marmalade. Marmalade is made from the same fruits and berries as jam and jam. The fruits are also cooked in the same way, but after further boiling, the fruits are ground through a sieve. The process of boiling after grinding lasts for some more time. You can store marmalade in a hermetically sealed container in a cool place, well-cooked jam can be stored without pasteurization.
Candied Fruit
Another way to preserve fruits and berries is candied, that is, the cooking of candied fruits. For sugaring, you can use any fruits or berries, but it is better to take those whose flesh is denser. These fruits include apples, cherries, plums, pears, quince, mountain ash, apricots, tangerines and oranges. Physalis, lemon, pumpkin and watermelon rinds are also good for sugaring. Fruits, like jam, are first boiled in sugar syrup. Only unlike jam, when sugaring, the syrup should be digested and be viscous. It is necessary to store candied fruits in a dry room in wooden or cardboard boxes, which must be lined with thick paper from the inside.