Making Low or No Sugar Jam and Jelly (2024)

FAQs

What happens if you use less sugar when making jam? ›

Less sugar may allow for greater bacterial growth. As a result, process times may be longer for these low-sugar or no-sugar jams and jellies. Some pectin products include preservatives to reduce bacterial growth, as well as to preserve color.

Gel: Sugar is one of the three necessary components for jam set, or gel. Sugar molecules grab onto water molecules as the mixture is heated. This allows the pectin to form a gel. If there is too little sugar added, the pectin will be diluted and will not form a gel.

When it comes to canning jam, some people think that sugar must be added in order to preserve the fruit, to achieve a proper gel, or to retain the fruit's color. However, these are all myths. Many fruits can be safely canned without sweeteners at all, although I do prefer to sweeten my jams with local honey.

I don't recommend going below 75 % because the sugar is also acting as the preservative for the fruit. Lower sugar content can make your jam less shelf stable, and nobody wants to open a jar of jam that's gone furry with mold or rancid with age.

Since pectin is activated by sugar, it requires using a considerable amount of sugar to activate the pectin and set (i.e. thicken) your jam. If you try to cut back on the sugar, it won't set properly.

5. Do Not Stir Once Mixture Is Boiling. Once your jam/marmalade it has reached a rapid rolling boil do not stir it. Stirring it will alter the temperature of the jam/marmalade meaning it will take longer to reach the setting point.

Achieving the right quantity of sugar is just as important as the right quantity of pectin for creating a nice preserve. In general, the final concentration of sugar in the preserve should be between 60-65%. To accurately and consistently test this, a measurement known as brix can be used.

The processing parameters showed a significant difference in the moisture content of the developed jam (Table 3). The increase in the concentration of sugar, pectin, and temperature from 45% to 55%, 3% to 5%, and 95°C to 105°C, respectively, was found to lower the moisture content slightly.

At least 60% to 70% sugar to fruit will work well; so 600g to 700g of sugar to a kilo of fruit. As mentioned above, you could use 'jam sugar' but that's not entirely necessary, especially if you prefer a looser jam. You can use caster or ordinary granulated sugar.

Jams and Jellies with Honey

If a recipe calls for 4 cups sugar, use 2 cups honey. Cook the jam or jelly slightly longer than time stated in recipe using sugar. When substituting honey, use a commercial liquid or powdered pectin. The consistency of the jam or jelly will be somewhat softer.

How long does sugarless jam last? ›

With the reduced sugar once opened a jar of low or no-sugar jam will last about one week out of the fridge. If refrigerated low and no-sugar jams will last about 30 days.

To prevent spoilage, process jars of low-sugar jams and jellies longer in a boiling water-bath canner than regular jams or jellies. Carefully follow recipes and processing times provided with each modified pectin product. Altering the proportion of acids and fruits may result in spoilage.

Unflavored gelatin may also be used. Bring the syrupy “jam” to boil in a pot. Dissolve 1 to 2 teaspoons of cornstarch for every cup of syrup in a small amount of cold water to make a slurry. Reduce heat and drizzle the mixture into the jam pot, stirring constantly.

- Crystals can form as a result of excess sugar, undissolved sugar during cooking, or over or under cooking. Another source of crystals in grape jelly is tartrate crystals. Jelly that crystallizes in the refrigerator can be another problem.

Use cornstarch.

It's also a viable option for jam recipes with less added sugar or ones that feature fruits with naturally less sugar or pectin. One thing to keep in mind with cornstarch as a thickening agent is that it makes the jam a little bit cloudy or milky-looking.

The amount of sugar you need to make jam depends on the amount of pectin in your chosen fruit, but generally the fruit-to-sugar ratio for traditional jams is 1:1 (ie. 450g/1lb sugar to 450g/1lb fruit).