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Jam, Jelly or Chutney – telling the difference

If you don’t know what to choose from our delicious range of home made jams, jellies, relish and chutneys , here is a quick guide to telling the difference.

CHUTNEY

Chutney may be cooked or uncooked, and is a mixture of chunky produce combined with spices, vinegar, and sugar.

Consistency varies from smooth to chunky. The smooth varieties are quite spreadable.

Chutney tastes great combined with cheese or cold meats. It would also work on toast if you fancy something savory.

Marmalade

A British Marmalade is made from citrus fruits, like lemon or orange. The fruit is cut into large pieces and cooked down until the acidic juices, pectin and sugar combine to form a syrup. It offers a good bite, as it contains rinds. We have a rich variety of marmalade, and something for everyone. Best spread on your toast for breakfast. But if you are like Paddington Bear, you can also add it to a sandwich.

CURD

A curd is unique because it contains butter and effs in addition to the fruit and sugar. Opaque and creamy, it is often made with citrus. Enjoy it on a flan base for a lemon curd tart, or with scones or toast at teatime.

JAM

Jam is made by crushing fruit and cooking it with sugar until it thickens to a uniform consistency and texture throughout. The ones Jana makes are made with fruits from her own garden, but you can also make jams from rhubarb. It does not have to be just fruits.

Jams can vary in texture, and in how much fruit is still recognizable. Use in the same way as Marmalade, or top of a rice pudding dessert with some jams. Jam is also great on dessert pancakes. You can also make jam tarts by filling little pastry cases and baking quickly in the oven. These are very traditional in the UK.

Jelly

When is a Jam a jelly? when it is super smooth in texture.

Jelly has the most pectin and least pulp content of all the spreads. It is made by extracting the juices and boiling them down with sugar until the mixture thickens to a gelatin-like consistency. The finished product is smooth and transparent and great in dessert, but no good in a jam tart, as it will just flow away.

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Brown sugars

Brown sugar adds a rich, sweet, and nutty flavour to baked goods and desserts (and even some savoury dishes, too). Molasses is the key ingredient that distinguishes brown sugar from granulated sugar, and it’s this ingredient that makes brown sugar shine in banana bread, gingerbread biscuits and so much more. But aside from colour, is there really a difference between light and dark brown sugars? 

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