It didn't gel too well...

[bluegrassmom]

I recently canned several jars of peach preserves. They taste just fine but never did set up as firm as I expected. They are more the consistancy of a topping for ice cream than a preserve. I followed the recipe with the exception that I used a pectin in powder form instead of liquid. Could this have been the problem? What happened?

(At least I have ice cream topping from now till forever.)

[Darlene]

I don't know for sure deanne, but I used powder pectin my first few times and ended up with strawberry icecream topping instead of jam and switched to the liquid pectin. I don't know why the powder won't set up for me, it seems to work fine for many others, but I solely use liquid and don't have that problem anymore.

[WiccadStargazer]

Mmmm...glad I didn't know stuff wouldn't gel well. Mine have turned out fine with the powder (didn't even know there is liquid pectin, I'm such a newbie). Must be beginners luck?

[Cat]

I've always been told that if the recipe calls for powdered pectin, use only that. Don't substitute liquid for powdered pectin (and vice-versa) because they're not perfectly interchangeable.

 

"The Joy of cooking" says that when you use pectin, you have to use a higher ratio of sugar to fruit, so following the recipe *exactly* is crucial.

 

And then I found this:

 

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There are a number of circumstances that affect whether or how well your jam sets. If your jam does not set, chances are it contains too little pectin. It’s also possible there is an imbalance between the pectin and the acid in your jam. Adding a little lemon juice helps the pectin, and also helps create an environment hostile to bacteria. High humidity in the kitchen can cause problems with jam. Finally, you can defeat the whole purpose of adding pectin if you boil the mixture too long — overcooking causes the pectin to break down and lose its thickening capacity.

 

People have different perspectives on fixing a jam that does not set. Joan Hassol, author of Well Preserved (Canada, UK) and owner of a jam business of the same name, doesn’t like to add more pectin to a soupy jam. She dumps it all back in the pot, adds a little sugar and lemon juice, and reboils. If it doesn’t set up the second time, she says, she labels it "Pancake Sauce," and moves on to other projects. Other sources advise you to add more pectin and bring the jam to a boil until the setting point is reached.

 

http://www.ochef.com/220.htm

 

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So, you could try it again. Personally, I'd probably go with more sugar and a bit of lemon juice instead of adding more pectin, but that's me.