Tried roasting a pound of peak strawberries at 425°F for 20 minutes before simmering, and the jam came out deeper, almost caramel-berry with a whisper of toasted sugar. Anyone else build recipes this way, and do you adjust the sugar — I went 20% less by weight — to keep it from tipping into syrupy?
@OP I roast on a sheet pan, then reduce the pan juices separately and fold them back in — keeps the jam thick without cranking sugar. If you’re at ‘20% less’, a squeeze of lemon or a spoon of apple pectin helps the set and brightens that ‘toasted sugar’ note; ever finish with a handful of fresh diced berries for a pop?
With “20% less” sugar, I grate half a Granny Smith into the pot for natural pectin and a cleaner set, then finish with a tiny pinch of salt to pop the roast notes. Convection or standard for the 425°F roast?
And @OP I get a cleaner set by roasting at 375°F for about 35 minutes and giving the pan a quick stir at 20; it dries the berries without scorching so the jam stays thick even when I cut the sugar… Have you tried dropping the temp to avoid that slightly bitter edge?
I split the batch and only roast half, then fold in the fresh half at the end so you get the roasted depth without losing that berry pop. With reduced sugar, I cook to a firm 220°F and add 1 tsp lemon juice per pound so it sets clean instead of drifting syrupy — @gregory_w87’s drying note is great, but this keeps freshness. Ever try a half-roast blend?