Difference Between Jelly and Jam Explained

As civilization grew, humans learned how to make new things for their taste buds. Two of these things are jelly and jam. Although they might see similar to some people, there are a few differences between the two, in terms of their processing and taste. Both the things are made from fruit which is heated and turned into a liquid first. The Difference between Jelly and Jam occurs with how much fruit is actually used in the final product and how a firm is it.

Jelly: History and Origin.

Jelly is condiment that is made from fruits and is very firm. The fruit is firstly cooked and then strained to only keep the juice in the jelly. So, you will not see any pulp of fruit in the jelly. Jelly is clear and has a smooth consistency. A Difference between Jelly and Jam is that jelly is stiffer as compared to jam. The preparation of jelly starts with heating the fruit, just like in jam.

However, the chunky parts of fruit, such as the pulp, are removed from the mixture and only the juice is allowed to remain. After that, pectin is added to this mixture and it is heated. As a result of this, a gelatinous spread is made. Jelly is something that kids normally love to eat because of the flavor and taste.

Jam: History and Origin.

Jam is also made from fruits but the processing is slightly different. The Difference between Jelly and Jam is that jam also has the chunky parts of the fruit that are removed when making jelly. So, the jam is not as smooth as jelly nor does it have the same consistency. The texture is different too and the final product is looser as compared to jelly.

The fruit is chopped, crushed and heated to form a puree .after that, sugar is added to it and the pulp or chunky bits are not removed. These bits might be the pulp of the fruit, fibers that are present in some fruits and small seeds. These seeds are safe to consume so they are added to the jam.

Jam is put on toast and enjoyed by many people in breakfast, around the world. Jam is also used in baking. There are some other shapes of jams too, such as marmalade and chutney. All of these are prepared differently in different cultures and cuisines around the world. Even though jams are mostly sweet in taste, they may be made as savory too.

Summary of Difference between Jelly and Jam:

• The major Difference between Jelly and Jam is the consistency and presence of fruit bits.
• The manufacturing is same, in the first few steps, as the fruit is chopped and heated in the presence of sugar and pectin until a puree is formed.
• While jam has fruit bits in it, jelly only contains the juice from the fruit.
• Jam is mostly sweet but is also savory in some cases.
• Different versions of jams are made in different parts of the world while jelly is prepared in the same way.