Jam making supplies- green lanes or nearby

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Permalink Reply by Kumari on September 21, 2013 at 8:47

Try Wilkinsons in Wood Green.  Not sure about the waxed circles, but they have a lot of jam making/brewing paraphenalia. 

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Permalink Reply by Justin Guest on September 21, 2013 at 11:36

I have to say I have never, ever, used them and never had a problem...

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Permalink Reply by maggie on September 21, 2013 at 11:42

I never use them either, such a fiddle. I carefully ladle the jam (still very, very hot but off the boil) into jars that have been preheated in the oven (about 150 deg for 15 mins) and then screw on the original lid while hot (the lid has also been preheated with the jars). No problem, but care needed.

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Permalink Reply by Maddy on September 21, 2013 at 17:54

Best to let the jars cool a bit first, otherwise the jam tends to boil over.   

I bet Lido or Lynbo have the waxed circles - they seem to sell almost everything. You could try Homebase which has a 'home baking' section in Homewares. I usually use them, but if you are putting a lid on the jam you probably don't really need them

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Permalink Reply by NIck and Lizzy on September 22, 2013 at 22:02

Thanks all, in the end I decided to make do with cleaned and boiled jar lids... We will see. Planning to make apple jelly next week... Might see if lido or lynbo have the wax circles... I know loads of people dont think they are necessary but my mum taught me how to make jam (years ago) and always uses them. Seems like a bad idea not to follow her advice as her jam is the best...

I did warm the jars but it took forever for us to get the gloopy jam into the jars so they cooled down anyway. I used a recipe that didn't need pectin added, but I hate runny jam so at the last min I chickened out and bought jam sugar. Won't next time. Apples have loads of pectin in anyway dont they?

Love the tips though! x

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Permalink Reply by JulieB on September 23, 2013 at 10:21

I've never used the wax paper and my jam has always been fine. Mine also was always runny until I bought a jam thermometer and now it sets perfectly. My other piece of essential kit is a jam funnel - makes it so much easier and cuts down on the gloopy mess.

I'm on the look out for a proper jam kettle/pan, I use my stock pot but it doesn't have a really heavy bottom and sometimes isn't quite big enough - so if anyone has one they want to sell please let me know.

I sterilise my jars and lids in the dishwasher - I just run a hot cycle and make sure I take them out without a fingertip touching the inside of the lid or the jar.

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Permalink Reply by Justin Guest on September 23, 2013 at 11:29

Apples have lots of pectin, with crab apples apparently having tonnes- and are often used to specifically generate pectin for jam making.

If you keep you jam warm on the hob it will stay runny, and you can poor into your jars without any bother. I use a jam funnel, but sometimes I find using a pyrex measuring jug to poor into the jars rather than a ladle which drips everywhere...

I have to admit I cannot (for the life of me) get a set on my strawberry jam (I have tried for years), even when I use my jam thermometer, get the temp up above 104 deg C, and use pectin and jam sugar. Next year I will use some crab apples to see if I can make some pectin I reckon and give that a go....

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