Had some family over and I experimented with a blueberry syrup. It was a fairly simple recipe I found on line; blueberries, honey, cinnamon, and thickened with corn starch.
During one batch (between fielding questions and fixing breakfast for 12 people) I put a bit too much corn starch in the syrup. Since I served it warm (over french toast and waffles) I didn't notice the change.
The next day, when I pulled out the remaining syrup, it was almost at the consistency of a soft jelly and that got me thinking…
What alternative methods of thickening can you use aside from pectin?
I have read where apples can work–could pears do the same?
I have read conflicting stories that unripe apples and pears are a better source of pectin than ripe fruit–is this true? I have two pear trees FULL of fruit right now–the idea that they can also provide the thickening agent for my jams and jellies would be REALLY cool.
Can I use cornstarch as an alternative?
by GreenSalsa96
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No you cannot use cornstarch. It creates lumps that affect heat penetration. The only exceptions are specific tested recipes that call for it https://www.healthycanning.com/flour-and-corn-starch-use-in-home-canning/
There are marmalade recipes that don’t use any added pectin and you boil the spells to extract it for the marmalade. It’s pretty fun to do if you never have. Apples are also very high in pectin and historically were used in many jams for their pectin, but modern recipes are not designed for that method and it’s not safe for canning.
There are a lot of slow cook fruit jams that don’t use added pectin, some in my Bell’s book for sure.
Some links: [https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/make-jam-jelly/jams/berry-jams-without-pectin/](https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/make-jam-jelly/jams/berry-jams-without-pectin/)
[https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/make-jam-jelly/jams/blueberry-peach-jam-spiced-without-pectin/](https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/make-jam-jelly/jams/blueberry-peach-jam-spiced-without-pectin/)
Clear jel cook type
You can make and can your own pectin from apple cores. It’s very simple, and makes an effective liquid pectin that works for most jams or jellies (pot full of cores or whole apples, water to prevent sticking, cook to mushy, strain liquid out- that’s the pectin). When using it you just follow a tested liquid pectin recipe.
You can also make pectin free jam or jelly from many fruits- the set is not as stiff, and the flavor is different from a long, slow cooking time. I actually love the more cooked flavor of Ball’s Old Fashioned No Pectin Strawberry jam (with vanilla, which is an available variation in my copy of the book)- it is like an old fashioned ice cream syrup.
I use apples in most of my jams to thicken. And i also cook longer to evaporate the moisture to thicken as well
Bring the jelly to 225 F and it will gel without pectin. Boil for a little longer and it will thicken up nicely. You’re using the sugar as the gelling agent along with the naturally occurring pectin in the fruit.