Sorry, Alexa, liquid pectin and powdered pectin cannot be used interchangeably.

Now, I'm not saying that it won't work, if you bring all the ingredients to a boil with the dry pectin, then add the sugar and boil one minute, as is usual with dry pectin. However, I've not tried it and the "experts" say it isn't interchangeable.

Now, of course, if it doesn't work, you have a nice glaze for chicken or pork and it still goes nicely into those cheese thumbprints...

Are you brave enough to experiment?

Annie

I've only made Habanero Gold once and I used the powdered because I didn't have the liquid. It didn't set like a jelly (like the kind from the store) but it did set up some. I'm still too chicken to actually can and leave on the shelf so I let it cool in the pan, stirred well, and poured into freezer jam containers and froze. When thawed it had a texture that was thicker than a glaze but thinner than a jelly.

It was still very clear and pretty but I've not seen it made with liquid pectin to compare how it looked.

Well poo..... Thanks fo rthe input, I am off to search for Certo tomorrow AM.

Alexa

Alexa, Ball also makes a liquid pectin, I really have better and more consistent results with theirs than I do with Certo, so if you find ANY liquid pectin, get it!

Annie

Check Ace Hardware if you have one in your area....they carry canning supplies including pectin. Also, Wally World if you are brave and want to fight the crowds and lines...I know they have it. I'm down to one jar so I guess it's time for me to make some more too.

David

Thanks everyone! I have a couple of old fashioned local hardware/ feed stores not far from me so I will check there first. And the closest Wal-Mart used to be 20 min or so from here... they moved further away and are almost 40 min from my hosue now near the Philly city limits. It really surprised me that they closed the closer store, but now if I am gong to Wally Mart I really have to wanna!

Thanks again and I will look for the Ball brand while I am at it.

Alexa

I don't bother with the pectin, and it sets up fine. I keep it refrigerated, and we eat it pretty fast. It's not stiff, like canned cranberry sauce, but it's certainly jam-like.

I went out this late afternoon to get some things for a quick dinner. Saw that the grocery store had liquid pectin and picked it up. They even had a variety of jar sizes. What's going on here? This is a small Publix. Anyway, I'm ready as soon as things calm down around here and the farmer's market recovers from the freezes here in FL.

Habanero Gold success! I found the liquid pectin! Even the bits and nubs distributed beautifully and I only burned 1 finger during the whole process. A tiny bit would not fit into the jars so I have it in a glass bowl covered with plastic. Of course I had to taste a bit and it is everything you all have been raving about.

THanks so much for the help and advice.

Alexa

Congrats on your HG success Alexa! Sorry to hear about the finger though. Here are a couple of my favorite recipes from Annie that I use the HG with. Mind you I love it on a bagel or wheat thins with cream cheese...straight from the jar with a spoon..LOL!

JALAPENO CHEESECAKE (MY FAVORITE)- Annie
8 ounces cream cheese
5 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
2 cloves garlic
1 egg
8 ounces jalapeno jelly

Mix first four ingredients with half of the jelly. Pour mixture into greased 6 inch springform pan. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Cool completely and remove from pan, heat remaining jelly and pour over top of cheesecake. Serve with crackers.

Note: I made a double batch and baked it in a round cake pan with a "releaser" bar that spins around the bottom to prevent sticking. I just dumped it out and spread the jelly on the bottom, no one notices because itÂs covered with jelly!!

Savory Cheddar and Jalapeño Jelly Cookies from Rick Rodgers - Annie

Makes about 4 1/2 dozen

8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 1/2 cups)
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup jalapeno jelly, or sub apple butter or chutney

Place cheese and butter in a food processor (could be creamed by hand or mixer); add flour and process until the mixture forms a soft dough. Gather up the dough and divide into two flat disks. Wrap in wax paper and freeze until chilled, about 45 minutes.
Position two racks in the center and top third of the oven and preheat to 400°. Line two baking sheets with parchment or use nonstick sheets.

Using 1 teaspoon dough for each, roll the dough into small balls and place 1 inch apart on the sheets. Bake 5 minutes. Remove from the oven. Using the handle of a wooden spoon or 1/2-inch-thick dowel, poke an indentation in each cookie. Place the jelly in a small plastic bag and force it down into one corner. Snip off the corner of the bag to make a small hole. Pipe the jelly into the indentations.

Return to the oven and bake, switching the positions of the sheets from top to bottom halfway through baking, until the tops are very lightly browned, about 10 minutes. (Cookies will continue to crisp as they cool.) Transfer to racks and cool completely.

Can be baked up to two days ahead. Store at room temperature in an airtight container and separate layers with wax paper.

David

congratulations, Alexa, I'm glad it turned out good.

beachlily, that's one of the great things about this recipe, I can make it with frozen habaneros and dried apricots in the middle of the winter. I'm surprised you don't have canning supplies year round,though, I figured you'd have some produce pretty much all of the time!

David, the very best thing about those two recipes is that even if your jelly doesn't set up like it's supposed to, you can still use it for cheesecake or the thumbprints and no one knows the difference!

Annie

Annie, the canning supplies are hit and miss because so few people can. This store is beachside and caters to tourists--that's the reason I was surprised to find pectin/jars. In the past I've had to go to Wally World to find supplies. Guess I looked at the wrong time of year! I can get fresh habs all year so that's no problem. Right now is prime planting time for daylilies--I've been out there for the last few days (since the weather has warmed up!) I'll finish either today or tomorrow. The weather idiots are predicting 70 degrees by Saturday. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh

"Weather idiots", yup, we have those here too.

I suppose being a tourist area makes sense, I was just figuring fresh produce all year equalled canning all year, LOL, I forget that not everyone is a year-round canner!

So how many lilies are you planting? I planted half a dozen a couple of years ago and they just keep plugging along, I was kind of surprised they grew at all. I'm way better at vegetables than I am at flowers!

Annie