Michigan
State University Extension
Preserving
Food Safely - 01600631
10/13/97
Jam or jelly is too soft or syrupy if it is:
-Undercooked. (Undercooked jelly is syrupy and will not
set).
-Made in too big a batch. (Jelly should always be made
in a small batch, using no more than 4 to 6 cups of
juice for one cooking. With a larger batch it is
necessary to boil the mixture longer than usual to
bring it to the jellying stage; however, long boil-
ing often produces a strong caramelized flavor and
darkened color. If a larger batch of jelly is boiled
for the usual time, it will be undercooked). DO
NOT DOUBLE A RECIPE FOR JELLY.
-Made with too much juice in the mixture.
-Made with too little pectin (fruit was overripe or too
little added pectin was used).
-Made with too little acid.
-Made with too little sugar. (If jelly made with too
little sugar is boiled for the usual length of time,
it will be syrupy and runny. Jelly made with too
little sugar requires longer boiling to reach
jellying stage. But by the time it reaches this
stage the jelly will be tough). DO NOT DECREASE THE
AMOUNT OF SUGAR IN A JAM OR JELLY RECIPE.
-Made with a great excess of sugar. (Jelly made with
excess sugar is so soupy that it does not hold its
shape. If commercially canned or frozen fruit or
juice is used to make jellied products, the excess
sugar will probably cause the jelly to be syrupy.
Only unsweetened commercial preparations can be used
to make jelly or jam).
