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Strawberry Jam with Gelatin for Winter
Instructions
I prepare the listed ingredients for the strawberry jam with gelatin for winter.
I put the clean medium and small berries into a stainless-steel saucepan or bowl whole (such cookware rules out any chance of scorching). I cut large berries in half (without chopping them too finely).
I squeeze in the lemon juice – it preserves the natural strawberry colour and makes the flavour richer. But the jam turns out wonderfully even without an acidifier.
I pour the resulting juice over the berries.
I sprinkle everything with the sugar.
I cover the saucepan with a lid and shake it so the sugar spreads throughout and the fruit is damaged less.
I wait about 15 minutes for the juice to be released.
I pour the water over the gelatin. Once it has swelled, I carefully melt it to a liquid, for example in the microwave on defrost mode.
I put the bowl of strawberries over moderate heat first. The sugar and the released juice should merge into one and become a syrup.
Then I cook the jam over the lowest heat for 7 minutes. There is no need to skim the foam – it contains pectin, and that helps the gelatin stabilise the whole liquid fraction.
I turn off the burner and immediately pour the prepared gelatin into the hot jam. I stir it in.
I pour the jam into the jars right to the top, standing them on a towel.
I screw on the lids and turn the jars upside down for half an hour. Then I stand the jars the right way up (otherwise the set jam will stay hanging at the top and won't settle to the bottom) and let them cool slowly.The preserve is best stored in a cellar, a basement, or the fridge.This thick strawberry jam with gelatin for winter, full of whole berries, goes wonderfully with pancakes made with sparkling water and milk, with plain bread, with all kinds of bakes, porridges and drinks. You can layer it into cakes and use it for decoration.Bon appétit!
Tips
- 1
Gelatin instead of long cooking – the "secret" to thickness. Ordinary strawberry jam is runny. Gelatin replaces 1–2 hours of boiling down.
- 2
Don't skim the foam – the "secret" of the pectin. The foam contains natural pectin that strengthens the gelling effect.
- 3
Lemon juice – the "secret" to colour. It keeps the bright red shade of the strawberries. Without it the jam will darken to a brownish colour.
- 4
Turn the jars over for half an hour – not overnight. If you leave them for too long, the jelly will set at the top and won't settle down. The same principle works in other kinds of berry jams with gelatin.
FAQ
Which strawberries should I choose? +
Ideally, ripe red strawberries with no rotten spots. Berries 2–4 cm in size are best (cut larger ones in half). Unsuitable ones are: unripe (sour), rotten (they will spoil the jam) and overripe (they will fall apart). Strawberries picked fresh in the morning are the most fragrant. If the strawberries are very wet, pat them dry with paper towels so they don't water down the flavour.
What can I use instead of gelatin? +
Alternatives: agar-agar (5 g instead of 15 g of gelatin – it is stronger), pectin for jams (10 g, and follow the instructions on the packet), or 1:1 gelling sugar (sugar plus pectin). Quick-dissolving gelatin doesn't need soaking, but ordinary gelatin (as in the recipe) gives a more stable consistency. Do not use: starch (it gives a "slimy" texture) or powdered milk (it won't thicken). For a vegan version, use agar-agar. For a less firm jam, reduce the gelatin to 10 g.
How long does the jam keep? +
In sealed jars in a cool place (a cellar, basement or fridge) it keeps for up to 1 year. At room temperature – up to 6 months (gelatin is heat-sensitive). Once opened, it keeps in the fridge for 1 month; any longer and the gelatin will separate. Write the canning date on the jars. If a lid bulges, do not open it – throw it away. Freezing is not needed – the jars would burst. It is best used within the first 6 months. Put it up in small 250–500 ml jars – they are easier to open (a large jar will spoil within 1 month after opening).
What do I serve the jam with? +
The classics: at breakfast with toast, pancakes and fritters. With any bakes and porridges (oatmeal, semolina). With a cup of tea with lemon for a fragrant tea break. With syrniki and cottage-cheese bake. On open sandwiches with butter. For layering cakes and pies. With yogurt and plain cottage cheese. With ice cream or panna cotta. As a decoration for cheesecake. As a spread on a croissant or baguette. With a cup of coffee with milk for a "French" breakfast. A versatile sweet jam for the whole family.
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