How to remove foam from jam. How to make beautiful jam. Why remove foam from jam?

What happens if the foam is not removed from the jam, it turns sour and will not be stored, or the foam is removed to make strawberry and cherry jam beautiful? Why skim the foam from jam?

Anastasia asks

The Wonder Chef answers

To understand why skim the foam from jam when it is boiled, you need to understand what the foam that forms on the surface of the jam during cooking consists of, why it is so important to collect it and you don’t need to eat the skimmed sweet foam, as many do.

The tradition of making your own homemade jam was passed down in many families from grandmothers; the jam according to grandmother’s recipe seemed to be the most delicious, transparent, thick, was stored all winter and remained transparent, and did not change the taste.

Since childhood, in the memory of many of us, an unforgettable rich aroma has been deposited, filling the whole house, when I forced the children to take out the bones for...

Homemade jam made with foam, as a rule, loses in color and taste if the foam is not removed or only partially collected. This especially applies to jams such as:

The foam left in the jam will noticeably change the taste and color of the homemade product for the worse. Jam without foam will last longer in the winter, mold will not begin to form in jars of jam, and there is less chance that it will ferment, so the foam should be removed when cooking.

Often, when making homemade berry or fruit jam, the skimmed sweet foam is eaten by housewives themselves and given to children to feast on, not knowing the composition of the collected foam.

The composition of the skimmed sweet “delicacy” includes debris from dirty sugar during cooking and dirt remaining in poorly washed sugar after processing and preparation before making jam.

Judging by the discussions on the Miracle Cook website, written for, and preparation, many housewives do not remove the foam during cooking due to lack of time or do not know how to collect it. I would like to immediately answer the question of how to remove the foam from jam, and give advice on how to collect the foam:

Tip 1. When cooking jam, if possible, of course, it is better to remove all the foam; it is not advisable to leave it. If it is difficult to collect the foam from the surface of the berry jam without any residue, you can remove it in several stages. , turn off the stove, you can leave the pan on the stove, skim off some of the foam and put it back to cook. Repeat the procedure several times until all the foam is removed from the jam.
Tip 2. Skimmed foam cleans the jam from microorganisms found in sugar and poorly washed berries.

Remember: foam can create a favorable environment for the growth of harmful bacteria in sealed jars of jam for the winter. Without foam, jam is cleared of debris faster, boils more evenly, tastes better, is stored longer, and does not sour, but if the foam is not completely removed, the jam may become slightly sugary. Now you know why skim the foam from jam.

How long does it take to cook “until done”? When, during the final cooking, the jam begins to bubble and there is no more foam, it means it is ready.
Why is it better not to stir jam? To avoid damaging the integrity of berries or fruits. To mix, just shake the jam in a bowl in a circular motion.
How to remove foam correctly? At the moment of shaking the jam, the foam collects in the center of the dish - this is the best moment to collect it with a spoon or slotted spoon.

Why cook in several stages?

It's no secret that the most beautiful jam is made if it is cooked in several stages. With this method, the syrup penetrates into the pulp of the fruit. The strength of the syrup in which fruits and berries are boiled increases gradually, and the syrup and fruits turn out transparent and beautiful. If fresh fruits and berries are cooked for a very long time at one time, then the water from the fruits will very quickly turn into syrup, they will wrinkle, and the appearance of the jam will deteriorate significantly. .

Other cooking methods

Cooking in syrup

Sometimes cooking jam begins with making syrup. The syrup comes in different strengths, depending on the type of fruit and the method of making the jam. The prepared syrup is combined with fruits, boiled, and sometimes the fruits are infused in syrup. And so on several times.

One-time cooking

First, the fruit is covered with half the amount of sugar and left overnight. Then the resulting juice is drained, the remaining sugar is added to it and the syrup is boiled until it becomes clear. Then the berries are placed in the syrup and cooked until tender.

Little tricks

Jam is always cooked over low heat - violent boiling is unacceptable!
The foam from the jam must be skimmed constantly.
You can cook fruits not only in sugar, but also in honey - it should be taken in the same ratio as sugar. Or you can use half and half sugar and honey.
In the finished jam, berries and fruits do not float to the top, but are evenly distributed in the syrup and become transparent.

How to save candied jam

During storage, the jam can become sugary - the berries become as if sprinkled with sugar grains. This is a sure sign that the jam has been overcooked. To save candied jam, pour water into it (1 tablespoon per 0.5 liter jar), place the jar of jam in a pan of cold water (the level of water and jam should be the same) and bring the water to a boil. Then, without removing the jar, remove the pan from the stove, let the water cool and only then remove the jar.

After this procedure, the sugar grains will melt and the syrup will become transparent again. And to prevent the jam from becoming sugary next time, shortly before the end of cooking, you can add ½ teaspoon of citric acid for each kilogram of sugar.

When aromatic jam is prepared in the kitchen, all those with a sweet tooth gather around the delicate and tasty foam. Some “use a spoon” right during the cooking process, while others prefer to collect the foam and prepare baked goods or cream with it. And how delicious pancakes topped with it become!

However, strictly adhering to tradition and continuing to skim off the foam, many housewives still wonder - what will happen if they leave a tasty product? This article will tell you why to skim the foam from jam and how to do it.

Back in the 18th century, the foam that forms on the surface of any dish was recognized as an undesirable by-product in almost all countries of the world. Even then, experienced chefs got rid of it in order to improve the taste and aroma of food.

What does foam consist of?

During the cooking process, the lightest fractions of the products that make up the dessert rush upward and combine with each other, forming a dense foam. Among them:

remnants of dirt and debris from berries, sugar and water;
extractives and essential oils;
the very first proteins that coagulate at 40°C and are subject to extremely rapid souring.

The mixture of various fractions that forms on the surface of the jam is called culinary foam.

Why do you remove the foam?

It turns out that foam is garbage, quickly souring protein and oxygen bubbles that accelerate the souring of the product. And if you get rid of them in time, the jam will acquire a number of amazing properties:

evenly cooked ingredients;
natural, characteristic of berries and fruits, color and transparent structure;
natural taste and bright aroma that are not lost over time;
longer shelf life;
the dessert will not turn sour and will not be overcooked.

When and how to remove foam

This must be done throughout the entire cooking process, and you should start with sugar syrup.

The more thoroughly it is cleaned, the less foam is formed when cooking the dessert itself. In addition, it will be more transparent, and it will be much easier to determine the degree of readiness of the jam. So, a light pink or lemon tint indicates that the product needs to be cooked for some more time. But a dark color is a bad sign, indicating that the dessert is overcooked.

When cooking the fruits or berries themselves, you should not remove the foam at the first appearance. If you wait a little, a dense and rather thick mass will form along the edges of the pan, and sometimes in the center, which can be easily removed with an ordinary spoon or slotted spoon.

From this moment until the very end of cooking, the foam must be removed constantly. If you do not do this, white lumps will form in the dessert, which negatively affect the quality and aesthetic appearance of the product. In addition, if the foam “runs away” over the edges of the pan, the dish will lose a considerable part of the syrup - the main component for making delicious jam.

From all of the above, we can draw a simple conclusion - the foam from the surface of syrup and jam is removed, first of all, to increase shelf life and prevent premature souring. Secondly, to improve its taste and external characteristics.

If you do not intend to store a delicious dessert and are preparing it for a specific occasion, check out the original and quick recipe for jam, during the preparation of which no foam will form.

PREPARING JAM

Jam is usually made from various fruits and berries, which must be completely fresh, strong and ripe, but not overripe. It is usually boiled in small but wide dishes of sufficiently large size. In a dish that is not large enough, the jam may boil away, but if the size of the dish is larger than necessary, then the syrup, spilling over the surface of the bottom, will quickly thicken and the fruit will remain undercooked. When cooking jam, you should remember that the sooner it is cooked, the lighter its color will be and the better the aroma of the fruit will be preserved. That is why it is recommended to cook jam in quantities of no more than 2 kg. Jam should not be cooked over high heat in order to speed up evaporation and thickening. The foam formed during cooking must be removed with a slotted spoon. Particular care must be taken to remove foam from the finished jam removed from the heat. Sugar that has crystallized on the walls of the dish must be removed with a spoon or a wet cloth. To prevent the jam from becoming sugary, you need to add one teaspoon of crushed tartaric acid for each kilogram of sugar a few minutes before removing from the heat. The jam can be considered ready when a drop of syrup poured onto a saucer does not spread, but retains its shape. The container into which the jam will be poured must be clean and completely dry. Glass jars should be slightly warmed up and placed on a towel folded several times so that they do not burst when pouring hot jam. Jam should be stored in jars with a capacity of 1/2 - 1 kg. in a cool dry place.

STRAWBERRY JAM

1 kg. strong, not overripe berries, 2 kg. sugar, 1 glass of water, 1 full teaspoon of tartaric acid.

Sort the strawberries, carefully remove the stems, rinse, put in a porcelain or enamel bowl, cover with sugar and leave for 1 night. The next day, add water and cook over high heat, continuously skimming off the foam. Before removing from heat, add tartaric acid and simmer for another 3 to 4 minutes.

CHERRY JAM

1 kg. cherry, 1 kg. sugar, 3 glasses of water, 1 teaspoon of tartaric acid.

Wash the berries, remove the stems and seeds. Pour the cherries into a thick, pre-prepared syrup of sugar and water. Keep away from the stove for about 10 minutes, then cook over high heat, periodically skimming off the foam. Cook until syrup reaches desired thickness. Add tartaric acid 3 - 4 minutes before the end of cooking.

CHERRY JAM

1 1/2 kg. cherries, 2 kg. sugar, 3 - 3 1/2 cups water, 1/2 teaspoon tartaric acid.

Wash the cherries and remove the pits. Boil a thick syrup from sugar and water, then remove from the heat. Pour cherries into the syrup, let stand for 1 - 2 hours, and then cook over high heat, skimming off the foam periodically. Cook until the syrup is thick enough, add tartaric acid 3 - 4 minutes before removing from heat. Remove from heat and carefully remove foam by shaking the bowl. Let the jam stand for 3 - 4 hours so that the fruit is saturated with syrup, then put it into jars.

ROSE PETALS JAM

A very fragrant red oilseed rose is used for this jam.

200 g petals, 1 kg. sugar, 2 glasses of water, 1 teaspoon of tartaric acid.

Remove the petals from the flower, remove the stamens, then trim off the white, hard part with scissors. Dip the petals into liquid syrup made from sugar and water. Cook the jam over high heat until the syrup is ready. After this, add tartaric acid and cook for another 2 - 3 minutes. In the same way, with the same weight ratio, you can cook jam from the petals of white lily, acacia, and violet.

RASPBERRY JAM

Raspberries are very delicate, easily wrinkle and spoil, so it is recommended to make jam from them on the day of collection.

1 kg. ripe but strong raspberries, 2 kg of sugar, 2 teaspoons of tartaric acid.

Sort the raspberries and remove the leaves. If the berries are clean, collected in the forest or in the garden, then you don’t have to wash them. It is better to rinse berries purchased in a store or market in a colander, dipping it in clean cold water. Boil a thick syrup from sugar and water, cool slightly and add raspberries to it. Let stand for about 1/2 and then cook until a drop of syrup poured onto a cold saucer stops spreading. Add tartaric acid and boil the jam for another 2 - 3 minutes. Remove from heat and shake the bowl with the jam so that the foam and seeds float to the surface. Remove them with a slotted spoon. Let the jam stand for 3 - 4 hours, then transfer to jars.

RIPED FIG JAM

1 kg of sugar, 30 pieces of figs.

Peel the figs and soak them in lime water for 1/2 - 1 hour. Then rinse well, strain the water and add to the condensed syrup.
2 - 3 minutes before removing from heat, add 1 teaspoon of tartaric acid. Since the syrup of this jam becomes more liquid as it cools, it is necessary to boil the jam a second time to the required thickness.

Based on materials from the online library at http://books.junik.lv/

I myself have always wondered why such a delicious thing needs to be removed from the jam. And he never threw it away, but ate it. And now I’ve scoured the Internet and this is what I read:

Foam consists of the very first coagulated proteins, that is, of those proteins that require only 40 degrees to coagulate. Such proteins are subject to rapid souring. Therefore, to prevent the jam from souring, you need to remove all the foam.

Description of the term "FOAM" in the culinary encyclopedia:

FOAM
Light fractions of mixed composition, mainly rubbish, dirt, lighter rendered fat, with minor inclusions of protein, esters and extractive substances of a particular product, appearing on the surface of a liquid medium (water, milk, syrup, fat) during heat treatment.
Foam has always been considered in cooking as an undesirable by-product, and therefore there were strong recommendations to remove it immediately after it appears in any dish. These recommendations, which were previously based, especially in the 18th-19th centuries, only on considerations of the beauty and aroma of food, are now acquiring special hygienic and preventive significance. In addition, dishes from which the foam is regularly skimmed during the cooking process taste much better.

When making jam, the foam is first removed from the sugar syrup, and then again, after adding the raw materials. The better the syrup is purified, the less foam appears when cooking berries or fruits. Jam from which the foam is quickly removed is cooked better and more evenly and, most importantly, is not overcooked, and therefore retains its natural color, aroma and taste. If the syrup is pre-cleaned, then the foam that is then formed when cooking berries and other components looks cleaner and is easier to monitor the cooking process. While the foam is pinkish or lemon-yellow, the jam can still stand on the fire. As soon as it begins to darken or shrivel, this is a signal that the jam has been digested.
In jam, the foam is not removed immediately upon its appearance, but only when areas of compaction are detected from the edges of the dish or in the center and this thicker and denser mass is easily separated with a spoon from the surface of the boiling mixture. From this point on, the foam should be removed continuously, not allowing it to go beyond the edges of the dish. The “escaping” of foam negatively affects the quality of the jam: it is deprived of foamy syrup - the main medium for cooking fruits, berries, etc.

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I also read this on Wikiknowledge:
". in the household, it is customary to take granulated sugar and berries in glasses, usually one by one, to make jam. But the amount of sugar should be varied according to the degree of juiciness and taste of the berries. For sour or very juicy berries, you should take more sugar. In any case, the quality of the berries , their purity, as well as the quality of the sugar, have a great influence on the quality of the jam; unripe berries are of little aroma, while overripe ones easily turn into mush. Foreign impurities of granulated sugar produce a lot of foam during cooking, which should be removed very carefully, since its residues may form. spoilage occurs in the jam during storage."

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P.S. Happy New Year!

You know, this information didn’t scare me. I’ll skim off the foam the old fashioned way when cooking jam, but I won’t refuse to eat it)