Although jelly, jam, marmalade, and chutney have similar ingredients and all involve some combination of fruit, sugar, and heat, they are most definitely not all the same thing. There are many differences between jelly, jam, chutney and marmalade – and today we will be discussing the differences and similarities between jam and jelly.

Table Summary

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Definitions

Fruit or vegetable juice is the primary ingredient used to make jelly. It has a clean appearance and a solid texture that keeps it firmly in place. The juice is extracted by softening crushed fruit or fruit pieces in water, then straining the peels and pulp from the liquid through a colander lined with cheesecloth or a jelly bag. This straining guarantees that the jelly produced is clear.

Jam is a thicker spread produced from crushed or mashed fruit that keeps its shape but is less solid than jelly. Jam, unlike jelly, is not transparent and may contain fruit bits or particles. However, fruit stems and pits are removed during production.

Jam VS Jelly

Although Jams and jellies are sweet, sticky, and delicious, food spreads made with similar ingredients: fruit, sugar, water, pectin, and acid — usually from lemon juice; they differ in texture, appearance, the proportions of their shared ingredients, and how they utilize or include fruit. Jams contain particles of their component fruit, while jellies have a clear transparent texture and are smooth. It has a looser, more spoonable texture than jelly, with things like seeds or skin occasionally showing up (think of strawberry or blueberry jam, for example).