814-Lancaster Firming, Saturday, July 3, 1993
Reduced And No-Su
LOU ANN GOOD
Lancaster Fanning Staff
LEBANON (Lebanon Co.)
Growing health concerns have
caused many consumers to take a
new approach to canning and
freezing, especially with jams and
jellies.
Alletta Schadler, Lebanon
County home economist, held a
workshop on reduced and no-sugar
jam and jelly making recently.
At one time, it was thought
impossible to make jams and jell
ies without sugar since most jams
and jellies are made using com
mercial pectin preparations. In
most recipes in order for the gel to
form the proper ratio of acid, sugar
and pectin must be present. Some
pectin is provided by the fruit
itself, the balance by the commer
cial pectin with added sugar.
Although reducing sugar in
standard recipes almost always
results in a soft, runny product,
there are several new develop
ments with improved reduced
sugar preservation now on the
market.
Alletta told workshop particip
ants about the new products and
prepared several varieties for taste
testing.
The taste-testing favorite was
the new product Garden Fare
Freezer Jam Gelling Powder by
McCormick and Co, Inc.
1-800-632-5847. It uses carragee
nan as the thickener to make
uncooked freezer jam. If you can’t
find it in the supermarket, call
1-800-632-5847 and order direct.
Cost is $l5 for 12 packets includ
ing shipping.
Low methoxyl pectin such as
Mrs. Wages Light Home-Jell does
not depend on the same ratio of
sugar and acid for gel formation as
other pectins do. Some people are
not satisfied with the taste, but,
Lettie said, “You should taste it to
decide as each person’s likes and
dislikes vary greatly.”
Another low methoxyl pectin
product is Ball 100% natural Fruit
Jell No Sugar Needed Pectin. Both
cooked and uncooked freezer var
ieties can be made with 1 to 3 cups
sugar or with non-sugar sweetener.
Clarity, texture, and flavor are
acceptable although it is different
from the sugar varieties. It can be
purchased wherever Ball brand
canning supplies are sold.
You can make jam or jelly with
out any sugar, but it will taste dif
ferent. Some people do not like the
taste and it will not keep as well
during long storage. The color and
flavor fades due to lack of sugar.
Usually grape juice or other fruit
juices are used to sweeten the
flavor.
Fruit spread using Sure-Jell
Light Fruit Pectin uses fruit juice
concentrate instead of sugar. It is a
long cook procedure that results in
a dark thick spread. Lcltie cautions
that it is important to use the
recommended pan size to allow the
proper amount of evaporation to
take place. The jam splashes as it
cooks so it is a good idea to put a
rug or newspaper on the floor in
front of the range as you work.
Aspartame sweetener is not heat
tolerant so it must be added at the
end of cooking and after the fruit is
cooled.
Remember artificial sweeteners
do have some calories, these
should be considered by calorie
counting individuals.
Artificial sweeteners should be
added to canned or frozen fuit just
before serving. Do not use artifi
cial sweeteners containiilg aspar
tame in canning syrups as the heat
processing causes it to lose
sweetening power and may cause
an unpleasant after taste or flavor.
Fructose is a sweet tasting sugar
found naturally in fruit, juices, and
honey. While it tastes twice as
sweet as sugar and you need to use
less, it must be considered as a
sugar by diabetics.
NutraSweet is a brand name for
the sweetener aspartame, which is
used as the sweetening ingredient
in Equal, NutraSweet, Spoonful,
Equal Measure, and other pro
ducts. NutraSweet may lose its
sweetness if a product is kept hot
for a long period of time. To obtain
desirable sweetness, add the
sweetener after the recipe has been
removed from the heat.
To keep peaches and other fruits
from darkening, add ascorbic acid
to the fruit. The most inexpensive
source of ascorbic acid is a generic
brand of Vitamin C tablets. Buy
the 500 mg. size tablets and crush
and dissolve six tablets in one gal
lon water or juice. As you peel the
fruit place it in this solution until
ready to prepare jams or process.
Although other fruit treatment
powders to prevent darkening are
available, some contain sugar,
avoid them if you are watching
your sugar intake.
Additional recipes and informa
tion are available from the follow
ing companies, which are eager to
answer questions and may even
send free samples of their
products.
Sure Jell, General Foods Corp.,
White Plains, NY 10625
(1-800-431-1001).
Mrs. Wages - Dacus Inc.,
Tupelo, MS' 3 8 803
(1-800-431-1001).
Ball' Consumer Affairs PO
Box 2749, Muncie, IN
47307-0729.
Equhl-NulraSwect Brand
(1-800-323-5316).
Sweet One with Sunette
(1-800-544-8610).
APPLE JELLY
2 packages or 2 tablespoons unfla
vored gelatin
1 quart unsweetened apple juice
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons liquid artificial
sweetner
Food coloring, if desired
In a saucepan, soften gelatin in
apple juice and lemon juice. Bring
to a rolling boil, dissolving gelatin;
boil 1 minute. Remove from heat
Stir in liquid artificial sweetener
and food coloring. Pour hot into
hot jars. Adjust caps. Store in
refrigerator up to three weeks.
Yield: about 2 pints. 1 tablespoon
equals 8 calories.
GRAPE JELLY
2 packages or 2 tablespoons
unflavored gelatin
24 ounces unsweetened grape
juice «
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons liquid artificial
sweetener
In a saucepan, soften gelatin in
grape juice and lemon juice. Bring
to a rolling boil, dissolving gelatin;
boil 1 minutes. Remove from heat.
Stir in liquid artificial sweetener.
Pour hot into hot jars. Adjust caps.
Store in refrigerator up to three
weeks. Yield: about 1 pint 1
tablespoon equals 11 calories.
BLACKBERRY JAM
4 cups crushed blackberries
8 tablespoons liquid artificial
sweetener
Measure crushed blackberries
into a saucepot. Add sweetener
and stir well. Bring to a boil, stir
ring constantly until the mixture
thickens. Pour hot into hot jars,
leaving 'A -inch head space. Adjust
ar Jams And Jellies
Penn State Home Economist Alletta Schadler shows the new artificial sweeteners
available for making jams and jellies with lower or reduced sr ~ir content.
/ V
*
Participants at the workshop taste test various Jams and Jellies made wli
reduced sugar.
caps. Process IS minutes in boiling
water bath. Yield; about 1 pint. 1
tablespoon equals 10 calories.
RASPBERRY JAM
1 quart cleaned raspberries
3 to 4 teaspoons liquid artificial
sweetener
1 package powdered pectin
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Crush raspberries in saucepan.
Stir in artificial sweetener, pectin,
and lemon juice. Bring to a boil;
boil 1 minute. Remove from heat.
Continue to stir 2 minutes. Pour
into can or freeze jars. Adjust caps.
Freeze. Yield; about 2% cups. 1
tablespoon = S calories.
FREEZER PEACH JAM
4 cups peeled peaches
3-4 teaspoon liquid artificial
sweetener
1 tablespoon unsweetened
lemon juice
'/> teaspoon ascorbic acid
VA ounce package powdered
fruit pectin
Crush fruit in saucepan. Stir in
sweetener, fruit pectin, lemon
juice and ascorbic acid, firing to
boil and boil for one minute.
Remove from heat. Continue to
stir 2 minutes, pour into freezer
containers, cover, freeze. Hiaw
before serving, store in refrigerator
after thawing.
BLACKBERRY JAM
4 cups crushed blackberries
8 tablespoons liquid artificial
sweetener
Measure crushed blackberries
into a saucepot. Add sweetener
and stir well. Bring to a boil, stir
ring constantly until the mixture
thickens. Pour hot into hot jars,
leaving'/ -inchhead space. Adjust
caps. Process IS minutes in boiling
water bath. Yield: about 1 pint. 1
tablespoon = 10 calories.
GRAPE JAM
2 cups unsweetened grape juice
1 cup water
'A cup quick tapioca'
Sugar substitute equal to 3 cups
sugar
Combine juice, water, and
tapioca in saucepan. Let stand S
minutes. Bring to a boil and boil
hard 1 minute. Stir in sweetener.
Pour into clean jars. Seal and store
in refrigerator.
Yield; 2Vi cups.
e MAX. IT DOES A BOOT GOOD.
MIDDLE ATLANTIC MILK MARKETING ASSOCIATION, INC.
APPLE CINNAMON
CONSERVE
4 cups unsweetened applesauce
1 cup dried apples, chopped
20-ounces unsweetened
crushed pineapple, drained
'/> teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons lemon juice
V* cup raisins
Combine all ingredients in a
large sauce pot. Simmer for 30
minutes, stirring frequently. Pour
hoi into hot jars, leaving '/«-inch
headspace. Adjust caps. Process
10 minutes in boiling water bath.
Yield: about 6 half pints. 1 tables
poon equals 14 calories.
FUZZY NAVEL PEACH JAM
3’/« cups chopped peaches
I teaspoon grated orange rind
VA cups granulated sugar
1 package freezer jam gelling
powder
Combine first 3 ingredients and
allow to stand 13 minutes. Add
gelling powder package.
no or