Jam facts for kids
Jam is a sweet, spreadable food often enjoyed on toast or bread. It's made by cooking whole or cut-up fruits with sugar and water. The mix is heated until it becomes thick and jelly-like. This happens because of something called pectin, which is naturally in fruits or can be added. Once ready, jam is sealed in jars to keep it fresh.
Making Delicious Jam
Making jam involves cooking fruit, sugar, and water together. The mixture is heated until it reaches a special "setting point." At this point, the jam becomes thick and firm. This thickening happens because of pectin, a natural substance found in fruits. After cooking, the hot jam is poured into clean jars and sealed. This helps keep the jam fresh for a long time.
Jam making became a very important industry in England during the 1800s. English jam makers were known worldwide. Their business grew a lot after 1874, when taxes on sugar were removed. This made sugar cheaper and jam easier to produce.
What is Pectin?
Pectin is a natural substance found in fruits. Think of it like a special kind of fiber. In jam, pectin acts as a thickener. It helps the cooked fruit and sugar mixture become firm and jelly-like. Without enough pectin, jam would be too runny.
Fruits and Pectin
Some fruits naturally have a lot of pectin. These fruits are great for making jam without needing to add extra pectin. Fruits high in pectin include:
- Tart apples
- Sour blackberries
- cranberries
- Currants
- gooseberries
- Concord grapes
- Soft plums
- Quinces
For example, if you make raspberry jam, you might need to add pectin. About one box of pectin is used for every five cups of fresh raspberries.
Other fruits have less pectin. These include:
- Apricots
- Blueberries
- Cherries
- Peaches
- Pineapple
- Raspberries
- Rhubarb
- Strawberries
To make jam from these low-pectin fruits, you often need to do one of two things:
- Combine them with a fruit that is high in pectin.
- Use pectin that you buy from a store or make at home.
Adding pectin can also make the cooking time shorter.
Types of Jam
One popular type of jam is freezer jam. This jam is either uncooked or cooked for a very short time, usually less than five minutes. Because it's not cooked for long, it has a very fresh fruit taste. After it's made, freezer jam is stored in the freezer to keep it fresh. It's quite popular in parts of North America.
