Strawberry Jam to Candy

Sometimes we are in a hurry and we don’t have the time to pick and make our ingredients. So this one is for you busy folks… jam to candy – making strawberry candies using jam.

Here is the video:

For updated content please check my Instagram page. 

From jam to hard candy protocol:

Preparation time:  20 minutes

Complexity:          Simple

Required tools (as shown in the “how to” pages):

  1. A laser or candy thermometer
  2. A metal bar or thick bladed knife with a straight back to cut the candy (Careful!)
  3. A digital scale (not a must for simple candies, but preferable to get a consistent flavor between batches)
  4. Measuring cup set (not crucial – but it’s a lot easier this way)
  5. Some parchment paper (usually 1/4th of the sheet)
  6. A small 1/2 liter (roughly 34 liquid oz) pot, preferably stainless.
  7. A long handle teaspoon or long handle wooden spoon.
  8. An air tight storage container*

* For more information please read my candy tools page on candy storage.

 Ingredients:

  1. 1/3rd cup (= 70gr or 2.5oz) granular white sugar
  2. 1/8’th or 1/9’th cup corn syrup (roughly 2.5 teaspoons of corn syrup)
  3. 1/8’th or 1/9’th cup of water
  4. 30-80gr of jam of your choice and flavor (I’m using strawberry)

***YMMV depending on the jam and its quality.

Protocol:

Place the sugar, corn syrup, jam and water in a 1/2 half liter pot, preferably stainless. Place the pot on a smallest burner you have and turn on the heat on. Gently stir all the ingredients and let the candy reach a temperature of 150c or 300F, but not more than 160c or 320F. Once it has reached this temperature turn off the heat pour the candy onto the parchment paper.

Mark lines in the candy using a metal bar (or the back of a thick knife – careful not to cut yourself!) marking small squares while still hot at about 110c or 230F and allow the candy to cool to room temperature. To cool it faster I just move it from time to time over my kitchen table  (fake marble) surface. Once cooled the lines marked will become fault lines allowing you to break the candy into nice bite size squares or rectangles, depending on your lines. Be careful as breaking the candy can make glass like and very sharp shards so work your way slowly.

Store the candy in jam jar, a ziplock (heat seal-able, if possible) candy bag or any other air-tight container. If your container is not really air-tight (like jam jars) store the candies for long term in the fridge. Adding some powdered sugar (which contains starch) helps too.

Important notes:

Some jams won’t do, some will need more some will be more concentrated.

Note For Beginners: Before you start please watch my 101 series including the hazard video. Hot candy burns badly. So please be careful, work slowly and if a spill occurs quickly run cold tap water on it. Work slowly and be careful.

Do experiment and see how it goes for you.

Yours sweetly,

Saar