Difference Between Jelly and Jam

Jam and jelly are two fruit products which are often used interchangeably especially in American culture. They are used as side-dishes, sandwich fillings and also used in pies, cakes and other cuisines. Jam and jelly are consist of fruit essence, sometimes actual pieces of it or other times just the flavor.

Jam

Jam is a fruit product usually used as a sandwich spread since it is a rather pliable material. It is also an ingredient for use in pies, cakes and other pastry goods. Jam is made by chopping up fruits into tiny bits and then cooking them with water and sugar. The result will have distinguishable pieces of fruit, the sizes of which will depend on the fruit and also the preference of the customer.

Jelly

Jelly is also a fruit product that is made by cooking fruit juice with sugar, and then added with lemon juice to give its consistency. Pectin is also mixed so as to serve as a jelling agent. The result will be a firm and almost-transparent substance that maintains its shape when cut into pieces, making it excellent as a single side-dish or as an addition to cakes and pies.

Difference between Jelly and Jam

While jam and jelly are made from fruit, they differ in a lot of aspects in terms of their texture, appearance and production. Jam is made from chopped pieces of fruit, while jelly is made from fruit juice only. Jelly also has pectin and lemon juice, which gives its firm shape as opposed to the fluid-like characteristic of jam. Jelly will also appear clearer because it is made only from fruit juice, while jam will have noticeable fruit bits thus giving it its thicker density. Jam is often used alongside another dish, while jelly can be eaten by itself.

You should not be having any more trouble telling them apart the next time you visit the grocery. Just remember that jams are often packed in jars, while jelly will usually be packed in a plastic container and stored somewhere fresh.