Before You Start
Make sure that you have enough room on your countertop or table so that you can easily reach the bowl of the bread maker while it’s running. If not, place the bowl on top of something else.
The best way to measure out the fruit is with measuring cups rather than spoons because they are easier to handle when there’s lots of liquid involved.
You will need about 6-8 medium-sized apples depending on how much juice they contain.
The amount of water needed depends on what kind of apple, but if you use Golden Delicious Apples then you should add at least 5/6 cups of water.
If using frozen berries instead of fresh ones, thaw them first before adding them to the mixture. Frozen strawberries work well as long as they don’t taste too sweet.
Selecting the Right Fruit or Juice
When choosing fruits or juices for making jams and jellies, choose those which are firm yet ripe.
This means that their color won’t be very bright and they’ll still smell good.
Avoid overripe fruits such as bananas and plums since they tend to get mushy during processing.
Fruit Juices
Juice made from citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruits, tangerines, and kumquats is ideal for making preserves. They’re also great for baking cakes and muffins.
Citrus juices may vary slightly in flavor according to where they were grown. For example, orange juice produced in Florida tastes different from the one produced in California.
However, most commercial brands of canned lemonade are pretty close to homemade versions.
Fresh Fruits
Apples, pears, peaches, apricots, nectarines, cherries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, cranberries, mangoes, melons, pineapple, grapes, figs, dates, prunes, raisins, currants, etc., are some examples of fruits that are perfect for making jams and jells.
Choose only firm fruits without any bruises or soft spots.
Other Ingredients
To help preserve the texture of the finished product, try adding honey, brown sugar, or corn syrup. These items give the final products an extra sweetness and smoothness.
To prevent mold growth, keep the jar tightly closed until the time comes to store it away. Once opened, cover the container immediately with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Store the covered containers in a cool dry area.
Jellies and Jams Recipes from Your Bread Machine
1) Simple Strawberry Jam Recipe – Makes approximately 8 half-pint jars
Simple Ingredients:
- 4 lbs. Strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 3 Cups Caster Sugar
- 5 Tbsp Lemon Juice
Directions:
- Place all ingredients in the bread machine pan.
- Select Dough cycle; press the Start button.
- Let the machine run through its cycles. Remove the loaf of bread from the machine and turn onto the cutting board.
- Cut loaf into slices ¼ inch thick. Arrange slices in jelly-roll pans.
- Cover each slice with wax paper. Freeze overnight. To remove from freezer, lift the wax paper off slices.
- Slice again. Return slices to jelly rolls.
- Repeat the freezing process.
- When ready to serve, pour the hot jam into sterilized jars.
- Wipe tops clean with a damp cloth. Seal and label.
Keep refrigerated for up to 3 weeks.
2) Peach Jelly Recipe – Makes approximately 4 half-pint jars
Ingredients :
- 12 cups chopped peeled frozen peaches
- 3 cups granulated sugar regular
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- juice of 1 large lime
Directions:
- Combine fruit, sugar ratio, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl.
- Stir together thoroughly.
- Pour into bread machine pan.
- Select dough cycle; press the start button.
- Follow manufacturer’s instructions for mixing and kneading.
- After removing loaves from the machine, cut them into slices ½” thick.
- Spread on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
- Turn oven down to 300 degrees.
- Continue cooking for 30-40 more minutes or until golden brown.
- Cool completely before placing in jelly glasses.
- Add enough water to fill the glass about 2 inches above the top edge of the glass.
- Bring mixture to boil. Cook 5 minutes.
- Ladle into prepared glasses.
Refrigerate until set. Serve chilled.
Preserve Your Jam or Jelly
If you have made your own preserves, now is the time to use them! If not, here are two easy ways to preserve your delicious creations.
Freeze It
You can freeze your jams and jellies by putting them in small batches into ice cube trays.
Then transfer the cubes to zip lock bags when frozen solid. You will need to thaw these out first if you want to use them later.
This method works well because they don’t take much space and you can easily see how many there are left.
Can Them
You can also can your jams and jellys using either Mason jars or Ball® brand jars.
The advantage of this method is that you get to enjoy your homemade preserves as soon as you put them in the fridge.
They won’t last long once canned so be sure to eat them quickly.
How do I know which size jar my bread maker makes?
The best way to find out what size jar your bread maker produces is to check the manual.
Some machines come with an instruction booklet while others may just say “bread”.
In any case, look under the heading labeled “jars.”
There should be information regarding the sizes available.
What kind of bread does my bread maker produce?
Your bread maker probably comes equipped with several different types of bread. Look under the section called “loaf”, “buns,” etc.
Tips and hints for Jam Making in a Bread Machine
There are some things you might consider doing differently depending upon whether you’re making jam or jelly. Here are some tips to help you along the way.
Jam in Bread Machine & Bread machine Jellies
When it comes to preserving fruits, most people think of jams and jellies.
These sweet treats are usually cooked over low heat for hours until the desired proper consistency has been reached.
However, you can actually make both kinds of preserves in your bread machine. Just follow the directions below.
Jamming Up Fruit
To make jam in bread machine, simply combine all ingredients except citrus juice in the bread maker container.
Select loaf cycle; press the start button.
Mix according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Remove loaves from the machine after 15 minutes.
Cut into slices ¼ inch thick.
Place on greased baking sheets.
Sprinkle lightly with flour. Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes.
Reduce temperature to 325° F.
Bake another 25 minutes or until golden brown around the edges.
Let cool slightly then spread onto toast or serve plain.
For added flavor, add 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest or orange peel during the final stage of processing.
Making Jelly
For jelly, select loaf cycle; press start.
Mix according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Remove loaves after 45 minutes. Slice each loaf crosswise into 3 pieces.
Arrange in a single layer on greased jelly roll pans.
Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight. Uncover the next day.
Pour off the excess liquid through a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl.
Discard solids.
Return strained mixture to clean saucepan.
Bring to boiling point over medium-high heat.
Boil gently for 5 minutes. Skim foam. Add pectin.
Continue cooking for 2 more minutes.
Ladle hot jelly into sterilized half-pint containers.
Cool completely before storing.
What about other fruit recipes?
If you want to try something else besides jam and jelly, here are some ideas:
Apple Butter – Combine applesauce, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, salt, butter, vanilla extract, and water in the bread pans. Press Start. Follow the recipe above. Serve warm or cold. Apple Butter freezes well.
Peach Preserves – Peel peaches, cut in halves, and remove pits. Chop coarsely. Stir together chopped peaches, granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and spices in the bread machine pan. Cook as directed above.
Cherry Pie filling – Wash cherries thoroughly. Drain well. Toss cherries with granulated sugar, corn syrup, cherry pie spice if using, and enough water to cover by one-quarter cup. Spread evenly in the bottom of the prepared crust.
Top with second crust. Seal edge firmly. Brush top crust generously with milk.
Prick several times with a fork. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Bake an additional 30 minutes or until juices run clear when the center is pierced with the tip of a knife.
Cool completely before cutting. Makes 8 servings.