[Maryann]

I've been making jam for about 4 years now and still loving it but every year I do struggle with getting a nice set on cherry jam no matter what recipe or method I use.
I was recently given some lovely cherries picked from wild tree - they tasted yummy. There was a mix of deep red ones through to yellowy/pink. I had too many to do them all at once so spread them out on trays and to my surprise they all turned red.
I had 3lbs fruit after pitting them and added 2lbs sugar to this and juice of 2 lemons. I also added some cherry juice (from some pin head cherries I had steamed) to simmer the cherries in before going to the boiling process. I had added a packet of T & L powder pectin to the sugar so was confident of a good set but no - even after 15 mins it was still runny. I hate to keep boiling it as it ruins the flavour and colour but what else can I do?

I know I could settle for runny jam and use it as a syrup etc but I need to get it to set as I sell all my preserves to raise money for charity so that isn't an option.

Anyone have trouble getting theirs to set?

[Beetroot Queen]

Cherries are low in pectin, so google tells me. I always use equal sugar to fruit in a jam.

[Maryann]

Cherries are low in pectin, so google tells me. I always use equal sugar to fruit in a jam.

Hi, yes cherries are very low which is why I used the packet of powdered pectin - this works well for me with other low pectin fruit but not great with cherries which is why I asked the question in case anyone else had any better options.
Equal sugar to fruit is the most commonly used ratio for most jam and I stick to this for almost all my recipes but it can make the jam very sickly and oversweet and reducing it a little doesn't effect the setting quality only the taste and length of time the jam will keep.
I usually add about 2/3 of the sugar and then taste it and the cherry jam was already very sweet so I opted to leave it at this amount. I had no luck with the set at this point so I decided to add a couple of spoons of the pectin powder (mixed in with 100g sugar) and it then set - perhaps a bit too much.
I guess I was just hoping that someone may have had same problem as this and come up with a better option as I only rely on adding pectin when I absolutely have to.
I have tried using a cooking apple to add pectin and also making my own using apples boiled down to get a pectin syrup - this does work but changes the taste of the jam so not an option for cherry jam.
My only other thought was to maybe try mixing the cherries with red or blackcurrants, which are high in pectin, and accepting the taste combination.
I love Cherries but they drive me nuts when making jam and I get asked for cherry jam all the time 

[devonbarmygardener]

Lemon juice is often used as a setting help
Have you tried that?

[tosca100]

I have just made cherry jam with the same results, even though it worked last time. No idea where to get pectin here, so used a couple of apples and lemon juice. The only difference to the last batch was this time I didn't blitz the apple, which I forgot I had done last time.

But you are right, it does change the flavour. I also sell my jam but just tell them it's a soft set....unless they are Bulgarian then they will have to find out themselves!

[Maryann]

Well I'm pleased to know it's not just me 
However I managed to get it right with the next batch and it set beautifully - here is what I did. No guarantee it will work every time but might be worth a go.

I made sure I only had 1kg of prepared cherries (as the Tate & Lyle powder pectin gives recipes on the packet for this amount of fruit I am assuming the amount of powder will only work with 1kg and last time I had 1.3kg)

I halved a lot of the cherries and then simmered the fruit till soft using a small amount of water and juice of 2 large lemons.
I then used my stick blender to whizz some of the cherries into pulp to balance out the  consistency and to provide some jammier bits to the intact cherries.
Mixed up the powder pectin in with the sugar - I used 900 grams normal granulated sugar, and added this gradually to the simmering cherry mix making sure it was thoroughly mixed and dissolved.
Then as normal bring to a rolling boil scraping sides of pan down with a spatula all the time. It only took a 10 minute boil to get a lovely set and colour.
I found in the past if you don't get a set and you keep boiling your lovely cherry jam turns chocolate brown and tar like so whilst I don't like adding pectin normally it is essential with cherries (unless you add another high pectin fruit - and then it's not cherry jam is it).
I'll try to add a photo at some stage but I always forget how to do it on this forum 

Anyway - 1kg fruit produced 6 medium size jars which I was really pleased with. I'll try this formula again with another batch and see how it works out but I imagine different types of cherry will require some tweaking of the recipe. Might try it with redcurrants next time as they shouldn't alter the flavour too much.

[GrannieAnnie]

Pleased you got success with the second lot!  I love cherry jam!  But when my jam doesn't set right, I just tell people its a conserve!   

[tosca100]

I think for next year we will get someone to send pectin out. I am sure they do it here but can't take the risk of getting it wrong as the cost would be high to us. They do jam sugar but it is nearly an hour away....if they have it in. Stock control skills are not the best here, if you see it, buy it as it may not be seen again for months.

Meanwhile it is not long to the apple season here.... and then quince....

[tosca100]

Pleased you got success with the second lot!  I love cherry jam!  But when my jam doesn't set right, I just tell people its a conserve!   

Yes, you are right, I will change the lables immediately!

[Maryann]

Well....I'm not so sure about rushing to change your labels. I'm still a bit unsure as to the real definition of what a "conserve" really is. I think there has been a lot of muddling over the years and recently a young man from Scotland started making a spread with 100% fruit and no sugar or additives. The very confusing thing about this is the company is called SuperJam but on the label it says it is a Fruit Spread!
Here is a link to some more info: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=54405312

I am happy to put on my labels "soft set" and as we sell direct to the public we always have a bit of a chat with customers and tell them all about the jams etc plus I always have a small taster available for the more unusual combinations for them to try before they buy. This all started off as a bit of a hobby for friends and family but we now do it to fund raise for 3 charities we support with all profits going direct to them so it's grown quite quickly over the last couple of years.

[devonbarmygardener]

I can never use pectin powder - it leaves great lumps floating in my jams that I have to fish out

[Maryann]

I can never use pectin powder - it leaves great lumps floating in my jams that I have to fish out

You have to mix it in with your sugar before adding it. Give the sugar/pectin powder a good old stir to ensure the powder is fully mixed in and it wont go lumpy. Also if you are fishing it out then presumably your jam isn't setting which is a shame. You could try giving it a whizz with a blender but try the above it really works....honest!

Another tip: If I'm making a jam which wouldn't normally need pectin to be added I never put full amount of sugar in to start with (just in case it wont set) then I can add the pectin powder to say 100g of sugar and add it to get a set. That way you only use the pectin if absolutely necessary and you are not adding extra sugar. 100g wont make much difference to the taste if you don't need it or even if you do need it.

[devonbarmygardener]

Thanks for that Maryann.
I was stirring in before the boil.

I'll try that next jam-making sesh

[Maryann]

Oh no worries, I did it as well the first time......then I read the packet 
I prefer it to jam sugar as you can control how much powder you use and I find jam sugar causes a lot of froth and foam.

[devonbarmygardener]

I have a tendency to only use preserving sugar unless I'm working with strawbs, then it's always jam sugar.