I'm about to do a test batch of: 2/3 black raspberry/ 1/3 black
currant conserve, sweetened with sucralose and thickened with low
methoxyl pectin from Pacific Pectin.

Any thoughts on the ratio? I might go for 50/50, but that may be too
strong tasting as the black currants are really strong.

How much pectin to use is a question. Pacific Pectin says that 5% will
even gell water. So something less than that. I dimly recall that in
the remote past, black currants have set very well on their own. I
can't recall the procedure or proportions though.

How much sweetness to use is another question.

I'm also contemplating using some ascorbic acid to jazz it up,
although I would probably only do that with 100% black raspberries.

If anyone has had experience with this combo, I would love to hear
about it.
Sincerely, BlackHawk

On Fri, 07 Dec 2007 02:20:30 -0500, BlackHawk 96
> wrote:

>I'm about to do a test batch of: 2/3 black raspberry/ 1/3 black
>currant conserve, sweetened with sucralose and thickened with low
>methoxyl pectin from Pacific Pectin.
>
>Any thoughts on the ratio? I might go for 50/50, but that may be too
>strong tasting as the black currants are really strong.
>
>How much pectin to use is a question. Pacific Pectin says that 5% will
>even gell water. So something less than that. I dimly recall that in
>the remote past, black currants have set very well on their own. I
>can't recall the procedure or proportions though.
>
>How much sweetness to use is another question.
>
>I'm also contemplating using some ascorbic acid to jazz it up,
>although I would probably only do that with 100% black raspberries.
>
>If anyone has had experience with this combo, I would love to hear
>about it.
> Sincerely, BlackHawk

Update:
I read the RFP FAQ, posted on 07-11-05 by SCUBApix, with great
interest. It was VERY informative. Thanks to all who had a hand in
that.

So, I think I have a couple of trial recipes formulated. Here goes:

Black Rasp/Blk Cur "No sugar" jam.

2/3 c smashed blk rasp
1/3 c smashed blk cur
1/2 c Altern
5/8 tsp potassium sorbate = 1.25g = .5% of fruit (minimal effective
dose is .01%)

AND

Same as above except for the addition of:
2 tsp low methoxyl pectin.

Any comments?
Sincerely, BlackHawk

On Sat, 08 Dec 2007 16:47:07 -0500, BlackHawk 96
> wrote:

>On Fri, 07 Dec 2007 02:20:30 -0500, BlackHawk 96
> wrote:
>
>>I'm about to do a test batch of: 2/3 black raspberry/ 1/3 black
>>currant conserve, sweetened with sucralose and thickened with low
>>methoxyl pectin from Pacific Pectin.
>>
>>Any thoughts on the ratio? I might go for 50/50, but that may be too
>>strong tasting as the black currants are really strong.
>>
>>How much pectin to use is a question. Pacific Pectin says that 5% will
>>even gell water. So something less than that. I dimly recall that in
>>the remote past, black currants have set very well on their own. I
>>can't recall the procedure or proportions though.
>>
>>How much sweetness to use is another question.
>>
>>I'm also contemplating using some ascorbic acid to jazz it up,
>>although I would probably only do that with 100% black raspberries.
>>
>>If anyone has had experience with this combo, I would love to hear
>>about it.
>> Sincerely, BlackHawk
>
>Update:
>I read the RFP FAQ, posted on 07-11-05 by SCUBApix, with great
>interest. It was VERY informative. Thanks to all who had a hand in
>that.
>
>So, I think I have a couple of trial recipes formulated. Here goes:
>
>Black Rasp/Blk Cur "No sugar" jam.
>
>2/3 c smashed blk rasp
>1/3 c smashed blk cur
>1/2 c Altern
>5/8 tsp potassium sorbate = 1.25g = .5% of fruit (minimal effective
>dose is .01%)
>
>AND
>
>Same as above except for the addition of:
>2 tsp low methoxyl pectin.

Ooops, I forgot to add that 2 tsp LM pectin =5.9g (which is as close
as I can come to 6.25g which is equal to 2.5% of the fruit, which is
equal to 1/2 the amount required to gell water, which is 5%.

>
>Any comments?
> Sincerely, BlackHawk

"BlackHawk 96" > wrote in message
...
> On Sat, 08 Dec 2007 16:47:07 -0500, BlackHawk 96
> > wrote:
>
>>
>>So, I think I have a couple of trial recipes formulated. Here goes:
>>
>>Black Rasp/Blk Cur "No sugar" jam.
>>
>>2/3 c smashed blk rasp
>>1/3 c smashed blk cur
>>1/2 c Altern
>>5/8 tsp potassium sorbate = 1.25g = .5% of fruit (minimal effective
>>dose is .01%)
>>
>>AND
>>
>>Same as above except for the addition of:
>>2 tsp low methoxyl pectin.
>
> Ooops, I forgot to add that 2 tsp LM pectin =5.9g (which is as close
> as I can come to 6.25g which is equal to 2.5% of the fruit, which is
> equal to 1/2 the amount required to gell water, which is 5%.
>
>>
>>Any comments?

Don't want you to think you're being ignored, but I've never used the Altern
or LM Pectin products, so have no real insight to give you.

Do you have recipes that came with the pectin? I've had success in
combining recipes (for, say, Peach Raspberry Jam or Raspberry Blueberry
Jelly) by taking available recipes for single-fruit jams, figuring the ratio
of fruits I want to use, and then adjusting based on that ratio. So that if
the recipe for one fruit calls for 4 cups of prepared fruit and 6 cups of
sugar for one package of pectin, and the one for the other fruit calls for 6
cups of fruit and 8 cups of sugar for one package of pectin, and I want to
make a jam that is 2/3 the first fruit and 1/3 the second fruit, I'd use 3
cups of Fruit A and 1.5 cups of fruit B, 6.5 cups sugar, and one package of
pectin. That's because I'm making 3/4 of the first recipe and 1/4 of the
second recipe.

HTH. Let us know how the jam comes out.

Anny

On Mon, 10 Dec 2007 08:47:05 -0600, "Anny Middon"
> wrote:

>"BlackHawk 96" > wrote in message
.. .
>> On Sat, 08 Dec 2007 16:47:07 -0500, BlackHawk 96
>> > wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>So, I think I have a couple of trial recipes formulated. Here goes:
>>>
>>>Black Rasp/Blk Cur "No sugar" jam.
>>>
>>>2/3 c smashed blk rasp
>>>1/3 c smashed blk cur
>>>1/2 c Altern
>>>5/8 tsp potassium sorbate = 1.25g = .5% of fruit (minimal effective
>>>dose is .01%)
>>>
>>>AND
>>>
>>>Same as above except for the addition of:
>>>2 tsp low methoxyl pectin.
>>
>> Ooops, I forgot to add that 2 tsp LM pectin =5.9g (which is as close
>> as I can come to 6.25g which is equal to 2.5% of the fruit, which is
>> equal to 1/2 the amount required to gell water, which is 5%.
>>
>>>
>>>Any comments?
>
>Don't want you to think you're being ignored, but I've never used the Altern
>or LM Pectin products, so have no real insight to give you.
>
>Do you have recipes that came with the pectin?

Hi Anny. The LM pectin from Pacific Pectin is actually a commercial
product, so they don't have recipes as such. They have a technical
page which goes into the 5% being able to gell water, all by itself
(the LM pectin has calcium included in it, which makes it gell).

>I've had success in
>combining recipes (for, say, Peach Raspberry Jam or Raspberry Blueberry
>Jelly) by taking available recipes for single-fruit jams, figuring the ratio
>of fruits I want to use, and then adjusting based on that ratio. So that if
>the recipe for one fruit calls for 4 cups of prepared fruit and 6 cups of
>sugar for one package of pectin, and the one for the other fruit calls for 6
>cups of fruit and 8 cups of sugar for one package of pectin, and I want to
>make a jam that is 2/3 the first fruit and 1/3 the second fruit, I'd use 3
>cups of Fruit A and 1.5 cups of fruit B, 6.5 cups sugar, and one package of
>pectin. That's because I'm making 3/4 of the first recipe and 1/4 of the
>second recipe.
>
>HTH. Let us know how the jam comes out.

I will. BlackHawk

>
>Anny
>

On Mon, 10 Dec 2007 21:04:53 -0500, BlackHawk 96
> wrote:

>On Mon, 10 Dec 2007 08:47:05 -0600, "Anny Middon"
> wrote:
>
>>"BlackHawk 96" > wrote in message
. ..
>>> On Sat, 08 Dec 2007 16:47:07 -0500, BlackHawk 96
>>> > wrote:
>>>
>>>>
>>>>So, I think I have a couple of trial recipes formulated. Here goes:
>>>>
>>>>Black Rasp/Blk Cur "No sugar" jam.
>>>>
>>>>2/3 c smashed blk rasp
>>>>1/3 c smashed blk cur
>>>>1/2 c Altern
>>>>5/8 tsp potassium sorbate = 1.25g = .5% of fruit (minimal effective
>>>>dose is .01%)
>>>>
>>>>AND
>>>>
>>>>Same as above except for the addition of:
>>>>2 tsp low methoxyl pectin.
>>>
>>> Ooops, I forgot to add that 2 tsp LM pectin =5.9g (which is as close
>>> as I can come to 6.25g which is equal to 2.5% of the fruit, which is
>>> equal to 1/2 the amount required to gell water, which is 5%.
>>>
>>>>
>>>>Any comments?
>>
>>Don't want you to think you're being ignored, but I've never used the Altern
>>or LM Pectin products, so have no real insight to give you.
>>
>>Do you have recipes that came with the pectin?
>
>Hi Anny. The LM pectin from Pacific Pectin is actually a commercial
>product, so they don't have recipes as such. They have a technical
>page which goes into the 5% being able to gell water, all by itself
>(the LM pectin has calcium included in it, which makes it gell).
>
>>I've had success in
>>combining recipes (for, say, Peach Raspberry Jam or Raspberry Blueberry
>>Jelly) by taking available recipes for single-fruit jams, figuring the ratio
>>of fruits I want to use, and then adjusting based on that ratio. So that if
>>the recipe for one fruit calls for 4 cups of prepared fruit and 6 cups of
>>sugar for one package of pectin, and the one for the other fruit calls for 6
>>cups of fruit and 8 cups of sugar for one package of pectin, and I want to
>>make a jam that is 2/3 the first fruit and 1/3 the second fruit, I'd use 3
>>cups of Fruit A and 1.5 cups of fruit B, 6.5 cups sugar, and one package of
>>pectin. That's because I'm making 3/4 of the first recipe and 1/4 of the
>>second recipe.
>>
>>HTH. Let us know how the jam comes out.
>
>I will. BlackHawk
>
>>
>>Anny
>>
Here is my report:

1) the 2 tsp LM pectin/c of fruit produces a "just right" set.

Not adding any pectin produces a "sauce" which is ideal for use on
pancakes, ice cream, or yogurt; and is, imho, preferable to the jam
for those uses.

2) 1/2 c of Altern (which measures just like sugar) per cup of fruit,
produces a good sweet taste at first but leaves a sweet aftertaste
which I'm not fond of. Next batch I think I'll try 1/3 c of Altern per
cup of fruit.

3) the intensity of the flavor was excellent.
BlackHawk