Jelly vs Jam vs Preserves
Many people find themselves confused when trying to differentiate among jellies, jams, and preserves, as they all have similar appearances and are often packaged similarly. This article examines the distinctions between these fruity delights, which make breakfast, lunch, or dinner even more enjoyable for many. The differences between jam, jelly, and preserves go beyond taste and will be explored in detail.
All three are made from a fruit mixture combined with pectin and sugar. The main difference lies in the final product’s form, which is determined by the preservation method used. In ancient times, fruits needed to be preserved for future use due to the absence of refrigerators. This led to the development of various preservation methods, which in turn led to the creation of delicious fruit-based products.
Key Takeaways
- Jam is made by crushing fruit into pulp and quickly boiling it to achieve a thick consistency, making it easy to spread on bread or use as a filling in recipes.
- Jelly is made by crushing fruit, straining the juice, and boiling it to thicken the consistency, with its blob-like texture resulting from the reaction between added pectin and sugar.
- Preserves are a crossover between jam and jelly, using whole fruit instead of crushed or strained juice, and can include chunks of fruit surrounded by jelly or jam.
