52 A feast of flavour Jams and how to ensure recipe success Making jam is a tradition in Cyprus because of the big variety of fruits produced in our island. Jams are made of seasonal fruits (usually of one kind, sometimes more), sugar and lemon juice which are used as preservatives. Jam-making is easy and fast. However, to get the colour, flavour and jam-set right, there are several steps to follow that will make your task simpler. Our top tips for making jam: l The best-suited fruits for jams are thosewith the right balance of acid and low-pectin, such as citrus, plums, quinces, grapes, apples, MediterraneanMedlar etc. If you’re using low-acid and low-pectin fruits, such as strawberries, apricots and kiwis, you need to add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice per 1 kg of fruit to enhance fruit acidity and pectin content. l Choose any fruit that’s ripe but still firm, because unripe fruit are lower in pectin, which prevents jam from setting properly. l For best results, cook jam in small batches of fresh fruits (up to 2 kg) and use high temperature only after having added the sugar, to retain the colour and flavour of the fruits. l Cook fruit over low heat to soften, adding a little bit of water if needed. l Add the sugar when the fruit is very soft and adequate water has evaporated. l Use an equal amount of sugar and fruit pulp or juice to make jam. l Flavourings are not usually used for making jams because fruits have their own unique flavour.
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