Jams, Jellies, Preserves - What Makes Them Different

The supermarket contains a variety of fruit-based jams, jellies and preserves. Here are the differences between these spreads:

Jams are made from crushed or smaller pieces of fruit. The seeds in jam may or may not be removed. Jams fall somewhere between preserves and jellies on the fruitpreserve spectrum. They are ideal for baking and cooking applications, particularly cakes and cookies. Raspberry and strawberry jams are popular and tasty fillings in layered cakes or tart cookies. Apricot jam tossed with a little balsamic vinegar makes a light salad dressing.

Jellies are made from strained, pure fruit juice. Jelly is transparent and firm enough to hold its shape when turned out of the container. The name comes from the French “gelee,” which means to congeal.

Fruit preserves are generally made from whole fruit or large pieces of fruit. As such, the fruit is “preserved” in shape. Fruit preserves are an excellent glaze for chicken, duck, pork and turkey. In particular, blueberry, plum, quince, currant or orange preserves add a delicious sweetness to poultry. Lightly brush preserves on during roasting, baking or grilling.

Marmalade is a jelly that includes small pieces of fruit, usually citrus. When used as an ingredient, marmalade adds a citrus flavor to cakes and cookies and also makes a delicious (and low-fat) frosting or glaze.

Fruit butters are composed of a high proportion of fruit and fruit juices. Fruit butters, unlike jams, jellies and preserves, are simmered over low heat for a long time to produce a characteristic flavor. Perhaps the best known flavor is apple. Apple butter makes an excellent baste for almost any meat, particularly pork.

Low-sugar spreads contain the same amount of fruit as regular preserves but have half the sugar (thanks to a new form of pectin that needs less sugar to work effectively.) They can be substituted for other fruit preserves in baking, grilling and roasting as well as on toast, bagels, muffins and bread.