We have always made jams using the classic recipe of 1:1, that is, for 1 kg of fruit — 1 kg of sugar, and in my opinion, it was too sweet. Therefore, my mother was tasked with significantly reducing the sweetness level, which she successfully accomplished with the help of GelFix.
There are different types:
GelFix 1:1 (for 1 kg of fruit and 1 kg of sugar)
GelFix 2:1 (for 1 kg of fruit and 500 g of sugar)
GelFix 3:1 (for 1 kg of fruit and 300 g of sugar)
We will use 3:1. I'll jump ahead: the jam turned out to be very aromatic and sweet-sour, since gooseberries are sour berries by nature. So, if you want less sourness, you will have to add more sugar and, accordingly, choose a different GelFix. The process will remain unchanged with any combination.
What exactly is GelFix?
Желфікс
GelFix is a special mixture for quick preparation of jam, preserves, and confiture. The main components of GelFix are pectin (a natural gelling agent obtained mainly from apples or citrus fruits), citric acid, and, depending on the manufacturer, a small amount of auxiliary ingredients.
The main advantage of GelFix is that it allows you to make jam in just a few minutes while preserving the natural taste, aroma, and color of the fruits and berries. Additionally, thanks to pectin, you can use significantly less sugar than in traditional recipes, resulting in a thick and tasty jam with a good consistency.
Now that we've covered that, let's move on to the recipe.
We need:
gooseberries — 1.8 kg
sugar — 600 g (1/3 of the fruit/berries)
GelFix — 2 packets (3:1), 1 packet is for 1 kg
immersion blender
stove
double-bottomed pot
The most tedious task was preparing the gooseberries. After some water procedures, my mother spent three hours 😰 trimming the tails and noses of the gooseberries with manicure scissors while watching a detective series. Yes, yes, it's not the most fun task, but what can you do 🤷♀️
"підстрижений" аґрус
Next, the prepared berries were transferred to the pot in which the jam would be cooked. The pot must have a double bottom to prevent burning. We have a simple one, possibly Chinese, but it has been handling all sorts of preserves for the second year now.
каструля з подвійним дном
Now we take the immersion blender. Accordingly, we immerse 🙃 and finely chop everything.
ніхто немає вціліти
To 1/3 of the sugar, in our case, this is 200 g, we add 2 packets of GelFix, mix it, and add it to the chopped gooseberries.
We put all this on the heat, stirring, bring it to a boil, and then cook for 3 minutes.
We add the remaining sugar, bring it to a boil again, and cook for another 3 minutes. And that's it — the jam is ready. We remove it from the heat, and it can be poured into jars.
куди ж без кота
After the jars are filled, the lids are tightly screwed on, we turn each jar upside down and leave them like that for 10 minutes. Then we turn them back to the standard position, cover them with something warm and cozy, and leave them to cool. That's it, enjoy!
залишаємо так тільки на 10 хв
Preparing the jars:
Sterilize the jars in any way convenient for you. We did it in the microwave. Place clean wet (must be) jars in the microwave for 3–4 minutes, while the lids are boiled separately on the stove (everyone remembers that metal objects should not be put in the microwave 😅).
Стерилізуйєм банки в мікрохвильовці
стерилізовані банки
вже за мить кришки відправляться на вогонь, де будуть кипіти хвилин 5-6
