-
Judy Keegan posted an update
Watermelon, mint and chia seed jam.
I am a lillte bit dissapointed in this jams colour, certainly not as bright and inviting as the one on the jams, jellies and marmalades course. It took a long time to reach the desired bx level which meant that the vibrant colour turned into a murky uninviting colour. Still tastes nice. I love how the jam was made with the two seperate colours.
Beatriz Torija, Mercedes Delgado de Miguel and 2 others8 Comments-
Level:
Stagier
I actually think it looks really interesting with that dual-tone effect… almost like a layered cocktail in jam form. The mint-green base and darker watermelon top give it a rustic, homemade personality that you don’t see in picture-perfect jars. And as you said, taste always wins in the end. Especially with chia seeds bringing that fun texture. I’d totally spread this on fresh bread without hesitation!
1-
@lanamihajlovic Thank you for your encouraging words, it means so much. Once the dissapointment of not getting the perfect result wears away, I am still left with an increadible tasting jam.
1
-
-
Level:
Scoolinary Team
Hi dear. I’m glad it tastes beautifully!
The murky color of your Watermelon, Mint, and Chia Seed Jam likely happened because the jam took too long to reach the desired Brix level (63°Bx). Prolonged cooking or heating can cause the vibrant watermelon color to darken and become less bright and inviting.
Here are some key points from the course “Jams, Jellies and Marmalades” by Joanna Artieda that explain this:
The watermelon must be fresh and freshly extracted to retain its nutrients and bright color.
The mint liquid is prepared by blanching the leaves briefly and cooling them quickly in ice water to preserve the intense green color.
The jam is cooked until it reaches 63°Bx, which is the target sugar concentration for proper jelly setting.
If it takes too long to reach this level, the color can oxidize or darken, resulting in a murky appearance.
The recipe uses chia seeds hydrated in water to simulate watermelon seeds, adding visual interest.
The jam is assembled in two separate colored layers (watermelon and mint jelly) carefully to keep the colors distinct and creative.
After bottling, jars are cooled and sterilized to preserve the jam.
So, the main cause of the color change is the extended cooking time needed to reach the Brix level, which affects the bright watermelon color. Using very fresh watermelon and blanching mint properly helps preserve color, but overcooking will still darken it.
-
@soldamiani Thats exactly what happened, it took too long to reach the 63% level. I am dissapointed but it tastes really nice.
-
Level:
Scoolinary Team
-
-
-
Level:
Scoolinary Team
Some tips: Add 2 or 3 drops of lemon juice or another acid like citric acid to stabilize the mixture and preserve the fruit’s natural color by preventing oxidation, which causes browning. Use fresh fruit and prepare it quickly—for example, blanch mint leaves briefly and cool them immediately in ice water to keep their vibrant green color. Similarly, freshly extracted watermelon juice retains its bright color. Avoid prolonged cooking to prevent color darkening.
Let me know how it turns out next time😉-
@soldamiani I followed the recipe as per instructions, I really think it was because of the prolonged cooking time to reach the desired Brix level. I will add some citric acid or lemon juice in my next batch. I actually thought of doing that in the first place but thought its best to adhere to the recipe for the first batch.
Thank you for the tips.-
Level:
Scoolinary Team
@judyrusselllive-com-au You are welcome, dear. I’ll ask the Content Team to check this so they can adjust the recipe. Have a lovely day!
-
-
-
