[Maryann]

Hi everyone
Jam making season and busy busy busy but just wondered if anyone has made the cherry jam using recipe on here?
It states just 2 1/2 lbs of sugar to 4 lbs cherries and normally the quantities of fruit to sugar are about the same. Also it does not mention adding pectin just lemon juice. I know from last year how hard it is to get cherry jam to set as it is so very low in natural pectin.

I have no problem using the powder pectin and add it to soft fruit when needed (sorry but I cannot tell the difference in the taste when using powder pectin and think there is a lot of snobbery attached to the use of it - or not).

Anyway - I have my fruit all prepped and ready to get going so if anyone has time to reply this morning I would be grateful for any feedback on using less sugar. I wonder if it affects the set and keeping qualities?
Thanks everyone.

[mumofstig]

Val's recipe actually tells you to test for pectin at step 3, then you decide whether to add pectin or not.

If you feel they won't set anyway, then add it 

[Maryann]

Yes - I did see that but to be honest that always confuses the hell out of me and I know from the books I have on preserving that the cherries I have are really really low in pectin.
Last batch I made with them I used 4lbs cherries, 3lbs sugar, juice 2 lemons, 1½ pkts powder pectin, and several cubes of my own frozen apple juice pectin and it still wouldn't set. Added certo in the end