Jam

You really only need a very big saucepan, wooden spoon for stirring and clean jars.
Val has got a lot of helpful pages in 'Recipes'....but here is a link to the page about pectin.

go from the link to the other jam help pages as well

http://www.allotment-garden.org/allotment_foods/jams-preserve/make-jam-jelly-ingredients.php

If you read the elderberry jam thread you will see that most people use cooking or crab apples with the elderberries, this gives enough pectin for the set.

As for a jelly bag...........ask mum for a non fluffy cotton t towel (that she won't mind getting stained ) or an old cotton or cheesecloth shirt, something like that.

You can buy jelly bags or muslin by the yard ...but the above work just fine for starting out

For preserving, you will need:
1.  Heavy and deep pan, copper bottomed preferably.
2.  Wooden spoon.
3.  Thermometre but not necessary if you make jam using the old fashioned method of putting a little jam on a very cold plate and pushing it with your finger (the jam that is  ) to see if it is setting.
4.  Plates.
5.  Wide necked funnel is helping to put your product in your jars.
6.  Jars!
7.  Labels and covers to fancy your jars with.
8.  Weighing scales.
9.   Knife to cut up your fruit if desired.

I never use wax circles on the top of my jam as I don't believe you need to if you put your jam jar lide on as soon as the jar is filled.  I think that this is where mould creeps in otherwise.  This was a tip I learnt from The Womens Institute years ago.

You will need your fruits, sugar, lemon juice (if required) and butter.

Pectin is a gelling agent that thickens your jam.  It is found naturally in berries but in varying degrees, hence the reason that you require more or less depending on the type of fruits you use.  It is an essential ingredient to help soft fruit jams and jellies set quickly and retain their fresh natural colour.

Preserving sugar and jam sugar differences:

Preserving sugar is used when making marmalades, jams and preserves using fruits that are naturally high in pectin. The large sugar crystals dissolve slowly and do not settle in the bottom of the pan, reducing the risk of burning and the need for stirring and skimming.  Some preserving sugar also produces less froth and, as a result, a clearer preserve.  Use with fruits such as plums, redcurrants, blackcurrants, gooseberries, greengages, damsons and Seville oranges.

Jam sugar ensures that soft fruit jams and jellies set successfully. It contains the right amount of natural pectin that is lacking in certain fruits, making the jam or jelly set quickly and retain its flavour and natural colour.  Use this type of sugar with fruits containing less pectin such as strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, apricots, blueberries, cherries, pears, peaches, rhubarb and loganberries.

It's just after midnight so apologies if I've missed something. If there's one thing I can do it's make jam!

Thanks liz