Ginger jelly/jam?

[Nn, M.D.]

Hi all,

 

I'm fairly new to the jam making process, and I haven't really tried jellies yet as they're even more removed from the original fruit than jam.  However, I wanted to make a ginger-based layer cake and have a ginger and lemon jam or jelly in the center.  Does anyone have an idea of how I'd get a jelly that was firm enough to set in between cake layers?  Any recipes you've tried that you've liked?  Ideally it would be a ginger predominant flavor with some lemon juice and zest, so I imagine there's a way to leverage the natural pectins in the lemon rind, but any experience would be appreciated!

[liuzhou]

I can't help you with your question, but would like to say that my late aunt, my mother's twin sister made batches of rhubarb and ginger jam every year. I'd trample down children and pensioners to get my hand on some of that now.

Edited July 6, 2019 by liuzhou (log)

[Nn, M.D.]

That sounds delicious, and the rhubarb probably does what the lemon will do to offset the spice of the ginger with a little sharpness. If you don’t mind sharing...

[liuzhou]

On 6/19/2019 at 1:01 PM, Nn, M.D. said:

That sounds delicious, and the rhubarb probably does what the lemon will do to offset the spice of the ginger with a little sharpness. If you don’t mind sharing...

 

 

I'd love to share, but the recipe passed with her.

 

Edited July 6, 2019 by liuzhou
removed irrelevant image (log)

[Darienne]

2 hours ago, Nn, M.D. said:

Hi all,

 

I'm fairly new to the jam making process, and I haven't really tried jellies yet as they're even more removed from the original fruit than jam.  However, I wanted to make a ginger-based layer cake and have a ginger and lemon jam or jelly in the center.  Does anyone have an idea of how I'd get a jelly that was firm enough to set in between cake layers?  Any recipes you've tried that you've liked?  Ideally it would be a ginger predominant flavor with some lemon juice and zest, so I imagine there's a way to leverage the natural pectins in the lemon rind, but any experience would be appreciated!

Welcome to the forum, Nn,M.D.  I've never tried to make ginger jam or jelly, but what I have done is to make other spreads and simply mix in an amount of grated ginger to the finished product.

[blue_dolphin]

2 hours ago, Nn, M.D. said:

Hi all,

 

I'm fairly new to the jam making process, and I haven't really tried jellies yet as they're even more removed from the original fruit than jam.  However, I wanted to make a ginger-based layer cake and have a ginger and lemon jam or jelly in the center.  Does anyone have an idea of how I'd get a jelly that was firm enough to set in between cake layers?  Any recipes you've tried that you've liked?  Ideally it would be a ginger predominant flavor with some lemon juice and zest, so I imagine there's a way to leverage the natural pectins in the lemon rind, but any experience would be appreciated!

 

I haven't done jelly, but I made a Lemon Ginger Marmalade by melding this Lemon Ginger Marmalade Recipe, which Serious Eats says is adapted from the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving and this Super-Fast Pressure Cooker Lemon Marmalade method from Hip Pressure Cooking.  I followed the pressure cooker method, adding the grated ginger along with the sugar and stirring in the crystalized ginger at the end before pouring it into the jars.  

The first recipe uses pectin, which might be good if you need a very firm set.  I don't usually add pectin to marmalade, though I did save the lemon seeds and put them into a tea ball as described in the pressure cooker method. 

 

I hope that gives you some ideas until someone chimes in with exactly what you need.  I love the combination of lemon and ginger and your cake idea sounds lovely!

[kayb]

How about if you made a lemon curd and added ginger to it?

 

[Nn, M.D.]

I guess I’m more looking for a ginger spread with a lemon accent than the other way around. Marmalade and lemon curd might be too far removed from the ginger flavor.

[akonsu]

The book by Christine Ferber "Mes Confitures" has several recipes with ginger. I think it is possible to find them on the web. For example, http://www.modernbeet.com/archives/318

HTH

konstantin

[Jim D.]

4 hours ago, Nn, M.D. said:

Hi all,

 

I'm fairly new to the jam making process, and I haven't really tried jellies yet as they're even more removed from the original fruit than jam.  However, I wanted to make a ginger-based layer cake and have a ginger and lemon jam or jelly in the center.  Does anyone have an idea of how I'd get a jelly that was firm enough to set in between cake layers?  Any recipes you've tried that you've liked?  Ideally it would be a ginger predominant flavor with some lemon juice and zest, so I imagine there's a way to leverage the natural pectins in the lemon rind, but any experience would be appreciated!

Here's a recipe for ginger marmalade containing lemon. The recipe uses Pomona's pectin, which if you are not familiar with it, is somewhat different from other pectins (it's easier to use IMHO and requires brief cooking, thus maintaining the flavor of the ingredients). If you do an internet search for "ginger marmalade," you will find lots more recipes, including this one for lemon-ginger marmalade.

[Nn, M.D.]

I think that Pomona’s recipe is just what I’m looking for. I assume the calcium water refers to the package that comes in the pectin box? And do you have any experience using natural pectin (e.g. lemon seeds)?

[teonzo]

If you want something firm without using powdered pectin, then a good solution is using apples. You can start from apple puree, add immediately some lemon juice to limit oxidization (and browning), then add sugar (half the weight of the starting apple puree). Then add grated ginger, lemon juice and lemon zest to suit your tastes (remember the jam will reduce while cooking, so the final taste will be more concentrated than at this stage). Then cook to 105°C until the jam reached gelification point.

Keep an eye to the pot and stir when needed to avoid scorching. As said before in the thread, better putting the seeds (both lemon and apple) in a tea ball and cook them with the jam, to add pectin; crush the seeds for them being more effective.

If you plan to use this for a cake, then you can add small dices of candied ginger when you are building the cake. If you can avoid cooking them then better. If you need to put the jam in mason jars for future use, then you can add the candied ginger at the last minute during the cooking phase.

To prepare apple puree: buy your preferred apples, peel and core them (keep the cores for the seeds), add some lemon juice, then blitz them with a hand blender until you get a puree.

 

 

 

Teo

 

[Jim D.]

1 hour ago, Nn, M.D. said:

I think that Pomona’s recipe is just what I’m looking for. I assume the calcium water refers to the package that comes in the pectin box? And do you have any experience using natural pectin (e.g. lemon seeds)?

Yes, the required calcium comes in the Pomona's box. I don't have any experience using natural pectin (except when it happens by accident with the fruit I am using at the time). I see that Teo (in a following post) has provided lots of details on that subject. If you want to use apples (which is what the Boiron recipes and others call for) but don't feel like making your own applesauce, you can buy it under brands such as Superpomme (mentioned by Peter Greweling in Chocolates & Confections).

 

One of the positive features of Pomona's is that it is quite forgiving. If jam/jelly/marmalade is completely done and cooled but isn't as thick as you like, you can heat it again and boil it a bit longer (though there is a limit on how long). 

[Nn, M.D.]

I like the idea of the pre-made applesauce, certainly cuts down on the work I have to do. Does the flavor of apple come through? I haven’t worked with it much before but I don’t want the jam to taste of apple.

[Jim D.]

I have not used applesauce for this purpose. I believe the idea is that it does not change the flavor, but I myself would go with Pomona's and not be concerned with other pectin sources.

[teonzo]

If you start from apples then you will taste them in the background. Apples have a mild and neutral taste, ginger and lemon are strong and overpowering. You don't risk to get something that tastes of apples and ginger and lemon, you'll get something that tastes of ginger and lemon, plus a bit of apple in the background (most people won't even notice it). Besides this, you can adapt it to your taste, just add enough ginger and lemon until it tastes just like you want. This is said if you choose the apple way.

If you want to minimize your work, then the recipe suggested by Jim is the best choice. So it's just up about your priorities. I would suggest to taste and adapt it following your taste, instead of following a given recipe. The intensity of ginger and lemon can vary quite a bit, being them strong flavours it's always better to taste and adapt, instead of following given quantities. You are the only one that knows the taste you are aiming for.

 

 

 

Teo

 

[Louise nadine brill]

As others have suggested - apples are the way to go. Your other flavours will dominate any true apple flavour. Basic apple jelly is used as a background for many, many fruit, and in particular - herb, jellies. Personally, i am not a huge fan of Pomona pectin. It is very easy to use, but the texture of finished product, for me, is not quite right. As you are using for a filling -perhaps this will not be an issue. However - apples and lemons are both FULL of natural pectin, so I would encourage you to just go for it! Someone else has already linked to Christine Ferber - and that is exactly where to find additional info. In a nutshell - make apple jelly, add more lemon than recipe calls for (include zest before straining), as well as ginger and you are good. 😁

[andiesenji]

I used to candy a LOT of ginger - usually 10 to 15 pound batches - with left me with lots of ginger syrup. I would combine that with lime juice and pulp to make Ginger-Lime marmalade and to make sure it gelled, I used Pomona's Universal Pectin  because it doesn't need additional sugar to JEL firmly - and I mean FIRM!  

I used it decades ago to make jellies from wines - so firm you could turn the jar upside down and nothing came out.  

Back then there was a fad for "Sangria Jelly"  - what can I say, it was the '60s...

 

P.S.  I bought it in bulk - I think it was originally a pound.  Maybe 20 years ago. I still have some in a quart jar and it still works!  I made jelly from some orange syrup from my last batch of candied orange peel.  There is no expiration date on it.

Edited July 6, 2019 by andiesenji (log)

[Kerry Beal]

6 hours ago, andiesenji said:

I used to candy a LOT of ginger - usually 10 to 15 pound batches - with left me with lots of ginger syrup. I would combine that with lime juice and pulp to make Ginger-Lime marmalade and to make sure it gelled, I used Pomona's Universal Pectin  because it doesn't need additional sugar to JEL firmly - and I mean FIRM!  

I used it decades ago to make jellies from wines - so firm you could turn the jar upside down and nothing came out.  

Back then there was a fad for "Sangria Jelly"  - what can I say, it was the '60s...

 

P.S.  I bought it in bulk - I think it was originally a pound.  Maybe 20 years ago. I still have some in a quart jar and it still works!  I made jelly from some orange syrup from my last batch of candied orange peel.  There is no expiration date on it.

 

Ginger pulp?

[andiesenji]

11 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

Ginger pulp?

Lime pulp   I would zest the limes, cook the zest in simple syrup, remove all the white pith,  slice the center portions for "decoration" 

and  blend the rest in a blender or food processor, depending on how much I had.

Then strain the zest out of the simple syrup and mix the pulp in  and then blend the ginger syrup and lime syrup together TO TASTE.

usually about 2/3 ginger syrup to 1/3 lime syrup, cook that and during the last 10 minutes or so carefully slid in the lime slices so they wouldn't break up - if they are thin, 10 minutes is enough when the stuff is simmering. 

Ladle into jars so there are a few slices in each jar.  

The zest has to be strained out because it turns an ugly gray if left in.