Top Ingredients Proper amounts of fruit, pectin, acid and sugar are needed to make a jellied fruit product. Fruit gives each product its characteristic flavor and furnishes at least part of the pectin and acid required for successful gels. Flavorful varieties of fruits are best for jellied products because the fruit flavor is diluted by the large proportion of sugar necessary for proper consistency and good keeping quality. Some kinds of fruit have enough natural pectin to make high-quality products. Others require added pectin, particularly when they are used for making jellies, which should be firm enough to hold their shape.
All fruits have more pectin when they are underripe.
Either form is satisfactory when used in a recipe developed especially for that form. These pectins may be used with any fruit. Many people prefer the added-pectin method for making jellied fruit products because fully ripe fruit can be used, cooking time is shorter and is standardized so that there is no question when the product is done, and the yield from a given amount of fruit is greater. Fruit pectins should be stored in a cool, dry place so they will keep their gel strength. They should not be held over from one year to the next.