The gel point of a jam occurs quickly when the sugar concentration is about 65% of this amount about 5% must come from the fruit and 60% of added sugar. The concentration of sugar can be tested at home in accordance with the methods 1.2 and 3. Methods 4 and 5 are used to determine when the jam can gel, but do not indicate the proportion of sugar. 1 .- TEST FOR HEAVY:
is a method by which satisfactory results are obtained if you have the right balance and make small amounts of jam. Not suitable for jam made with sweet fruit, like cherries. Note the weight of the empty bowl and spoon. The gel point is reached when the jam even 5 kilos for every 3 kilos of sugar employees. To determine the final weight must be multiplied the amount of sugar used by 5 divided by 3. Example: if a recipe is 1 ½ kilos of sugar and 1 ½ kilos of fruit, the jam must be reduced to a weight of 1 ½ x 5 / 3 = 2 ½ kilos. Remember that the weight scale includes recording the weight of the bowl and spoon.
2 .- TRIAL BY VOLUME:
This method determines the volume of the jam. No need any additional equipment, but not as accurate as the previous test when using shallow bowls. The amount of jam to be gained kilos is calculated by Method 1, and this number is measured in glass jars filled with water 1 kilo and poured into the pot so that water will reach the same volume as the amount of jam that is desired. A clean suit with flat end (for example, the handle of a wooden spoon), is held vertically in the center of the bowl and it marks the level reached by water, must be careful that the vessel is on a horizontal surface and vertical hold the rod during the test, then check all the water. When performing the test, remove the pot from heat, bubbles are expected to disappear and tested with the dipstick. When the jam has been reduced to the mark, must obtain the right spot.
3 .- TEST TEMPERATURE:
For this experiment, the thermometer divided into degrees and reaches at least 105 ° C. Before checking the temperature of the jam, place the thermometer in hot water. If the jam boils at 105 ° C, the percentage of sugar will usually correct, and if the fruit contains abundant pectin and acid, the jam will gel well. The jam can be stirred thoroughly before taking a temperature. Occasionally, temperatures of 106 ° C and 107 ° C even must be sought to obtain the best results.
4 .- TEST COPO:
A wooden spoon is dipped into the jam is removed and rotated horizontally in your hand until the jelly cools slightly attached. Then dripped over the edge, and if you boiled sufficiently to partially gelled jam spoon, the drops will flow flakes forming a separation is sharp and clean.
5 .- TESTING THE COLD PLATE:
If a teaspoon of jam-filled area on a sheet cools, the surface should gel and slide when pushed to finger. When performing this test, the jam should not be allowed to boil rapidly, otherwise the gel point may be wrong.
