Splenda isn't going to be a suitable substitute for regular thats required for setting Sure Jel pectin. Even though Splenda is made from sugar, its sure modification affects what is needed to set it. Pectin and sugar must go together to set. There are alternatives, like low/no sugar pectin, or the use of Pomona pectin which is not dependent on any sugar, but instead, calcium, which is part of its package. Let them sit a few weeks to see if they do set, as they could take while, especially if the juice or whever you used is citrus based.

What do you mean by 'cold bath for 30 minutes'?

Ken is absolutely right, Splenda doesn't work with regular Sure Jell. As a matter of fact, I haven't found that it works very well with the low sugar/no sugar Sure Jell either, it just doesn't set up very much.

I make jelly for my Dad who is also a diabetic and sometimes the Pomona's doesn't set for me either, but it's a lot more consistent than the SureJell is. Unfortunately, it's not available in a lot of places and many of us have to order it on line.

I've switched to long cooked preserves and jams with no commercial pectin and have been able to cut the sugar content by at least half while still getting a good result. However, there's still sugar in there, so if you're wanting to cut it out completely, I suggest tracking down some of that Pomona's Universal Pectin.

Annie

I stick with Pomona's Universal pectin for sf jams with Splenda. It will gel water, I think. You order online from Pomona's. You won't normally find it in a store. I order mine from Pomona's directly since they sell it in bulk, not just little boxes of it.
It is really good stuff, once you get used to working with it. It can be a bit tricky, it wanted to clump up badly.
Jams are processed 10 min. in a boiling water bath canner.
Foods are either hot packed or raw packed.
If you processed jams for 30 min. that alone would break the gel.
With commercial pectin you don't use the sheet test, you cook for how long it says to boil it.
The others are correct, you cannot use regular Sure Jel in making jams with Splenda. It takes a low methoxyl pectin, which is Pomona's or the Sure Jel Light, Ball light, etc.
Most folks say the store brands don't work nearly as well as Pomona's.

Ken, I was wrong I didn't cool bath it for 30 minutes. It was 10 minutes. I did it at a friend's house and she was actually doing it. We put it in hot water for 10 minutes...it was a hot water bath. Can you tell I know nothing about making jelly?LOL. I will let it set for a few weeks and see what happens. I am going to see if I can order some Pomonas. I think we used the SureGel that you use for ST jellies.

Well, after a few weeks my muscadine jelly did set up pretty well and after keeping it in the frig after opening it was the consistency of regular soft jelly but it had hard rock like crystals in every teaspoon I spooned out. Tasted great though! I am going to use Pomona's in my jellies this year.

The crystals that formed are quite sour and is a good indication that there was a lot of tarteric acid that formed the crystals. They are OK to eat, but if you heat up the jam in the microwave a few seconds, and then stir, some of them will re-dissolve a bit. I like that kind of consistancy when spooned over pancakes or waffles.

Ken, yes! Waffles are great with it! I just picked out the crystals though. Can't wait to try the jelly again next year with Pomona's and I bought Nature's Crystals sugar substitute off Bariatric Eating website to make pecan pie and pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving and will try that instead of splenda this year.

Those crystas are great when added to a canned tomato product. Instead of using citric acid, you can pull out as many of them from the jam, and save them to add to some tomatoes that you can. Tarteric acid is at the same strength as citric when it crystalizes. I see the same crystals formed in some wines. They usually settle to the bottom of the bottle.

Are you pulling my leg? That is amazing! I still have 8 jars left so I will just try that. Thank you for telling me! That will be neat to try!

The crystals formed in your jelly occur normally because you need to juice your grapes, then put the juice in the fridge overnight. When you go to use it, be sure you do not stir or disturb the sediment at the bottom. If you have stuff floating on top of the juice, skim it off.
They are tartaric acid crystals. I don't know if you let your juice sit overnight or not.
The citric acid crystals, like bottled lemon juice are used in canning tomatoes because they meet a standard of acidity in order to be sold. I don't have any information that would recommend using the tartaric crystals from grape juice in canning tomatoes. Only the bottled lemon juice and citric acid are recommended by USDA.
I use Splenda and Pomonas petin to make sugar free jelly and jam. It worked really well. The jelly is not as clear, but it still tastes good. I have been using a cup of frozen, unsweetened apple juice concentrate to mine, too, along with the other juices or fruit. I like the sweetness it gives to the jelly.

According to the info I have read, if its tarteric, malic, or citric in crystal form, all three have an equal amount of acidity. The crystals are formed once the ratio of acid reaches a level where these crystals form when the source they are made from is refrigerated. Ever see what happens when you chill glacial acetic acid down to about 40 degrees? The 100% prure acetic acid will form large crystals, and quite possibly break the glass bottles its store in. You wouldn't be able to get regular vinegar to that level or crystalization as its diluted down to just 5%. As to tomato sauces, some like to add a litte grape juice to offset some of the acidic taste. By home canning tomatoes, you do need to add an acid to ensure they are safe. What better way than to use an acid common in grapes. Linda Lou is correct. Allowing the juice to settle overnight in the fridge will reduce the amount of crystals you may get when making jams. Linda lou is also right when she mentions using frozen concentrates in sweetening jams. I do this with every jam I make, and they usually come out much less sugary, especialy when I use Splenda.