Go to the Recipe: Freezer Jam: Why It’s the Real Jam
Really interesting. I haven’t tried freezer jam but just used Pomona’s to can some peach jam and it worked really well. The included recipes are a little cumbersome with volumetric measurements, so it’s good to see the conversion here. It’s especially nice with the calcium water, since they specify the ratio in half-teaspoons but give you like two thirds of a teaspoon in each packet.
So many Calciums, which one is used here?
calcium phospahte, calcium sulpahte, calcium hydroxide, calcium hydroxate, calcium carbonate? The list goes on!
Any recipe changes for other fruits like peaches or blueberries, or is it all good?
I looked on the Pomona website and it's apparently monocalcium phosphate powder. Any kind of calcium phosphate should do, but the amount to add will depend on the calcium content of the fruit you're making jam with.
Love this, I am so going to try it.I make pretty good kick ass jam already bu this is right up my street. It will also yeald so much for jam for expensive fruit such as strawberries etc.
A few questions for the nerds out there. I live in the far far far land of New Zealand and we don't get Pomona pectine so it doesn't come with the very handy calcium powder one needs. Does anyone know what I should ask my chemist to provide me with?
Also, the pectine I use is made from citrus and it works really well with traditional jam. I am assuming it will work as well on this version, does anyone know otherwise?
Cheers,
Alba
After thawing a jar of jam, how long will it last in the refrigerator?
Can lemon juice be used in lieu of malic acid?
Once the jam is removed from the freezer and thawed, can it them be stored in the refrigerator or should it be returned to the freezer? If it can be stored in the refrigerator, how long will it keep? And why the need to put it into the freezer anyway?
It will probably be fine for a week or two in the fridge. The purpose of storing in the freezer is that you're making several jars of jam at once so it will take a while to go through all that jam.
I'm thinking this might make some great pepper jam! Can I use the same recipe with jalapeños or something a bit hotter?
According to Pomona's website: Calcium water is a solution you make with water and the monocalcium phosphate powder (food-grade rock mineral source) that comes in its own packet with every purchase of Pomona’s Pectin. The Pomona’s Pectin directions tell you how to make calcium water with the calcium powder. Pomona’s Pectin recipes call for calcium water because the pectin is activated by calcium, not by sugar.
Phyllis, we go with the recommendation on the Pomona’s Pectin box, two weeks after thawed.
Sure can. It will have a slightly different taste compared to ours, but should still be delicious.
Two weeks is what Pomona’s Pectin recommends
Monocalcium phosphate is one of the ingredients in many baking powder along with sodium bicarbonate, cornstarch and sodium aluminum sulfate (this last one not in all brands).
So my question is simple, can I substitute calcium powder for baking powder?.
Knowing that there's plenty acid in the jam for the sodium bicarbonate to react and leave the MCP to form a gel or I'm just deducing crap?
Or I need to dissolve some citric acid in the water and then add the baking powder so the sodium bicarbonate acts immediately and leaves the MCP intact?.
Dude so many questions I just need to make some testings!
Hey guys from Chefsteps.
I'd like to know how these chemicals work, what are, and why do you guys use Malic Acid, Pectin, and Calcium Powder in this recipe. Even though there are some content in the internet about these substances, majority of these articles are from Wikipedia or any unknown source. Could any expert shed this light on?
Click on the names of the ingredients in the ingredient list at the top to see the answers.
Thank you so much Lowell
If you do end up with good results please do share them with us
Tried this recipe this morning. Was a little bit confused about the part with the calcium water. I was under the impression that while mixing the jam would gel up almost immediately. I ended up using half of the batch of calcium water I made before I stopped. I'm guessing this is too much? If it's still able to be poured into jars what exactly does forming a gel mean? Will it set at room temp or fridge temps or does it have to be frozen first? How long should it take before it becomes jam consistency instead of pourable? Look forward to trying this one again.
I would like to know can I use honey instead of cane sugar and if so how much would you recommend?
Thanks
You can use honey. Use half to one third the amount of sugar. Use 55-85 grams of honey for above recipe.
Thank you!
Can I substitute Pomona Pectic for pectin NH?
Hi Rafa, Pectin NH is a thickener primarily used for preparing glazes for fruits tarts and pastries. Pectin NH is thermally reversible - it can be set, re-melted, and set again. but it isn't really a substitute for jams. Im not quite sure how it will work out.
Thank you for the info
Can pasteurization (72°C x min 15 s) and canning be coupled with the freeze jam thecnique to make a shelf stable jam?
it really is just two separate methods. the point of the freezer jam is to not add the heat and keep the flavors fresh. if you need it shelf stable just use your traditional methods.
Hi! Thanks for the recipe! I would like to try it, but I can’t buy Pomona’s Pectin in Germany - and I didn’t find an appropriate substitute. Can I use agar-agar instead?! Thanks for your help
sorry, that will not work, agar agar has to be cooked to hydrate. you have to use a no cook freezer pectin for this one. otherwise just use regular pectin and cook your jam.
https://www.jean-puetz-produkte.de/apfelpektin-nvm-100-g-zuckerreduzierte-marmeladen-herstellung-p-736.html
Thank you! I'll try it as soon as I get it...
Glad you asked this. I was having trouble finding a not-large quantity of malic acid locally at this time. Lemon juice or lime juice is sounding great as a substitute for malic in the apricot jam/preserves I was hoping to make. Found on the Pomona's website under "Create your own recipe" that you would use 1 Tbsp lemon juice per cup of mashed fruit. https://pomonapectin.com/project/create-your-own-recipe/
Hi Dan, again, thanks for the tip - unfortunately it didn’t work, complete failure (it didn’t gel - twice!)... Did you try the freezer jam with the pectin from Jean Pütz & did it work? Did you adjust the steps etc.? Thanks for your help!
Any other brand to recommend for the calcium water ? Pomona universal pectin is not available to get in Europe
I tried to make strawberry jam twice and it didn’t gel. Thought maybe I didn’t boil the pectin enough to activate it the first time so I boiled more carefully the second time. My results are a very nice vanilla ice cream topping, but definitely not jam.
I wonder if the Pomona Pectin was bad or somehow got too hot during shipment in the hot Arizona sun. Any ideas on what went wrong?
Just a quick question. Where are the instructions in this recipe on preparing the 'jars'? There's a brief mention of it in step 7. I thought even in freezer canning that the jars had to be pre sterilized before putting food into them. So is that what you mean by 'prepared' in step 7?
Its just a normal wash.
What happens if I don’t use malic acid?
Hello Jim, It could be the fruit you are using and the time it has to gel. Sometimes the freezer jams are thicker because of the extra pectin in the actual fruit. Sometimes they are a bit thin like a topping. Usually an overnight rest will make the thickest freezer jams.
Ball makes a great freezer pectin.
Malic acid is used to brighten color and flavor of the fruit. Try lemon juice to brighten flavor.
Can I use Xylitol or Monk fruit sweetener instead of sugar?
Sugar plays a huge role in setting up the jam. If you use other sweeteners, the jam will be more runny.
Another question about storing freezer jam: can I store it in vacuum sealed bags? The reason I ask is that even small jars could be too large for me to use up in 2 weeks after a freezer jam has been defrosted, but if I could freeze small quantities in small vacuum seal bags that would be great. What do you think?
Grant (and co) - the pectin/calcium water.... any suggestions for gelatine or Agar Agar? I love the clarity of the end product but have never really been able to get it to set... never found the calcium water....
If you're using Bob's Red Mill Baking powder, you'll have to use around 140g of baking powder to get 1g of calcium.
Half pint jars could be an option too. Small vacuum sealed bags are great as well.
Gelatin will provide a clear liquid that gels and keeps the product fresh, but gelatin doesn't freeze well and will start to crystalize in the freezer and weep upon removal. 4 sheets to a quart of liquid should be the gel strength you will need but the variable will be the strength of the gelatin you use. AgarAgar needs to be cooked and may not be the best choice here. If you use AgarAgar you could make a simple syrup solution at .5-1% and blend to fold into fresh fruit and then freeze. Freezer jam is about preserving the fruit at its freshest.
Sugar plays a huge role in traditional (HM) pectin, which requires high sugar and acid. This pomona pectin must be Low Methoxyl pectin as it is set with calcium so sugar is not likely required for setting.
It’s not the time of year for ripe strawberries or raspberries, can I use frozen fruit instead?
Yes.
Once the jam is made and put into the freezer how long before I can use it for making pop tarts or simply using at all? Does its need to be in the freezer overnight meaning 8 hours, 10,12 or maybe just an hour? Thank you!
Hello ChefSteps, I am a little confused, the recipe asks for 5g of pectin Pomona and then 5.5 g of calcium water from Pomona, so is a double use? 5g plus 5.5? That’s where I am lost. Thanks for all the great recipes.
@Andres M. Flores when you buy pectin, there will often be 2 packets in the box: pectin and a calcium powder you add to water. Use 5 g of pectin and 5.5 g of the calcium water you make in step 5. Hope that helps.
Awesome!! Thank a lot for the response Brian!!!
Hello, I can't get Pomona in the UK. Can I use regular pectin and make calcium water by disolving calcium carbonate?
Use any pectin available. Pomona is a citrus based pectin(LM) that needs the calcium to set it. Apple pectins(HM) do not need calcium to set but are helped along with sugar and acid.
How do you measure .3 grams with a scale? Are their scales that measure to the tenth of a gram?
Yes!!! You need a high precision scale. Try modernist pantry, Uline, or Taylor brand.
