Jam and Jelly

[kayT]

I’ve had a jam and jelly question for a while and now since the issue has come up on today’s S.D. Classic (I would post the link but I don’t know how to find out the URL of the column; sorry)I will raise the issue for the teeming millions: what makes the jam or jelly or marmalade turn to sugar in your refrigerator? I used to think it was time (old jelly turning to sugar) but suddenly it happened to a jar of orange marmalade that was perfectly fine one day and I used some, and the very next day the top 1" of it was sugared. Does anyone know what causes this or, more importantly, how to prevent it?

[BobT]

I can’t answer your question about the jam and jelly but there are two things I can tell you:

1. This question should go in “Comments on Cecil’s Columns”
2. To post a link, I just cut and paste the link (leaving a blank space on each side)
   Like this
   http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a951124a.html

Voila!

[Arnold_Winkelried]

Thank you for posting your comment.
Please include a link to Cecil’s column if it’s on the straight dope web site.
To include a link, it can be as simple as including the web page location in your post (make sure there is a space before and after the text of the URL). The web page location typically appears in a line at the top of your web browser when you are viewing the page.

Cecil’s column can be found on-line at the link provided by BobT.

---

moderator, Comments on Cecil’s Columns

[Arnold_Winkelried]

I found some information at this web page:

The Ohio State University Extension - Human Nutrition - Uncooked Jams and Jellies

Maybe this will relate to your question.

Causes of sugar crystals include too much sugar added to the fruit, sugar not thoroughly stirred into the fruit (until it was all dissolved), undissolved sugar sticking to sides of mixing bowl, fruit colder than room temperature so sugar doesn’t dissolve completely.

To prevent sugar crystals, measure sugar carefully and stir it into fruit at or slightly warmer than room temperature. Stir for the recommended amount of time and carefully scrape sides of bowl to catch all stray sugar granules. Warming jam with sugar crystals may help redissolve the sugar. If you have a microwave, use it to heat the mixture. This will help maintain the bright color and fresh taste of a freezer jam.

There is more information in the FAQ section of the page.

[kayT]

Thanks for trying, but the problem I have is not with newly made jam or jelly. It is commercially made jam/jelly which has been of perfect consistency and has been used and then the jar suddenly develops a layer of sugary stuff on top of the jelly/jam. If you dig it out the jelly/jam underneath is fine, but then when you put it back in the refrig. it gets the sugary top again…and I knew it was in the wrong forum as soon as I posted it…and I still can’t copy & paste URLs because I don’t know what part to copy…whine(nevermind)

[Irishman]

Don’t know about the sugar problem. Never had that happen.

But for the copy paste, you go to the page that has the column. Highlight the URL box (may be “location” or whatever) that you use to identify where your browser goes. It’s the thing that starts “http://www…” Then use the copy feature on your browser.

Next find the window where you are writing your comment to the board, and hit paste. poof the URL should appear. Viola, your very own link.