Pomona’s Pectin is activated by calcium, so calcium has to be present in the mixture either naturally or added by you. Since most people don’t know the calcium content of their fruit, we recommend a calcium water amount in every recipe to be sure there is calcium in the mixture. If your fruit has calcium in it naturally, you don’t need to add the calcium water.
The calcium water (1/2 teaspoon calcium powder mixed into 1/2 cup water) can be stored in the fridge for several months, and will just need to be tossed if it has any floating bits or smell or color. It can also be stored in the freezer where it will keep indefinitely, but will need to be thawed before use. We also highly recommend labeling your jar of calcium water, as it seems to be the first item tossed when cleaning the fridge/freezer . 😊
Category:
How to Use Pomona's Pectin
Nanna
The calcium does not fully dissolve in water. Can I use it even though it is cloudly?
Shelby Collings
Correct. It should be fairly opaque.
Deb
Can I use 1/4 t calcium powder in 1/4 c. water? I don’t make much jam and just waste the calcium water.
Shelby Collings
You sure can!
The calcium water can be stored in the fridge for several months (will just need to be tossed if it has any floating bits or smell or color). It can also be stored in the freezer and will keep indefinitely, and will just need to be thawed before use. We also highly recommend labeling your jar of calcium water, as it seems to be the first item tossed when cleaning the fridge/freezer 😉.
Debbie
My facet water has Floride in it so do I still need to add calcium to my jam recipe
Shelby Collings
Yes, the calcium water is still needed. Fluoride and calcium are two different elements.
Shannon
So what happens if you didn’t read instructions well and made calcium water and dumped the whole thing into juice?🤦♀️ Hopefully just calcium rich jam? Can I buy more calcium since I have leftover pectin?
Shelby Collings
Hello Shannon,
Oh darn! Not to worry, your jam should be just fine to consumer…just calcium rich like you mentioned! If you shoot us an email to info@pomonapectin.com we would be happy to send you some additional calcium powder 😊
Robin Wingo
My tap water is softened with salt. Does that offset the need to add calcium water to my jam?
Shelby Collings
Hello Robin,
We believe that you will still proceed the recipe as directed. Happy jamming!
Monique
Hey there,
So I’m a complete idot in the kitchen and thought that your pectin was a package of gelitin. I dumped the whole thing into simmering blueberries (about one pies worth), and now is in the fridge to stiffen up. I JUST saw a little white package that said calcium on my counter. SO, that wasn’t used.
Is my pie dangerous to eat? I’m sure the consistency will be a nightmare (as usual), but is using the whole package for a pie going to hurt our tummies??
Shelby Collings
Oh no! We are so sorry that happened Monique! Let me just say, you are not the first to have done this, and you will not be the last.
Your blueberry pie will probably be very well jelled, and if you can stomach the texture of it, the over-pectined pie should not have any ill effect on your tummies. 😊
Linda
If moderately hard water (120 mg/L) is used to make calcium water, does that increase the hardness of the set in jam or marmalade? The last time I used Pomona’s Pectin I followed directions to make apple jelly (using really sour crab apples) and wound up with jelly that had a very hard set.
Shelby Collings
We believe that would have an effect on the jelly, yes. Feel free to skip the addition of calcium water.
Linda McClellan
So my calcium water got thrown out. Where can I buy calcium to replace what I’ve lost?
Shelby Collings
Bummer! Happens all the time 😊 Simply, send us an email (info@pomonapectin.com) with your mailing address and we will send a replacement to you!
Bryan
What if I used all my calcium water up but still have more pectin to use? The recipe calls for 1/2 t. of calcium water. That’s the entire contents of the calcium water packet. But it only calls for 1 1/2 t of pectin. So there’s pectin left but no calcium water. Please advise!
Shelby Collings
The calcium water is made up of 1/2 teaspoon calcium powder with with 1/2 cup water, then from that solution you will used the required 1 1/2 teaspoons of calcium water.
The calcium water can be stored in the fridge for several months (will just need to be tossed if it has any floating bits or smell or color). It can also be stored in the freezer and will keep indefinitely, and will just need to be thawed before use. We also highly recommend labeling your jar of calcium water, as it seems to be the first item tossed when cleaning the fridge/freezer 😉.
Linda Moosekian
I am confused, none of my recipes c a
L for calcium powder so how do I know how much to add?
Shelby Collings
Which recipes are you trying to follow? Do they call for using Pomona’s Pectin?
We are happy to help you convert your recipe if needed, simply email us at info@pomonapectin.com
David
My gelato recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of “liquid pectin”. How do I convert your pectin and calcium into liquid pectin? I bought the 1.1oz box.
Shelby Collings
Hello David,
Thanks so much for reaching out! Pomona’s Pectin is not a direct replacement for liquid pectin, so this is our best guess at how to substitute it.
You will need to dissolve Pomona’s Pectin into boiling water and get it to dissolve. (Bring 1/2 cup water to a boil. Place into food processor/blender. Add proper amount of Pomona’s Pectin, to make liquid pectin. Make sure to VENT LID. Blend 1-2 minuted until all the powder is dissolved. (if mixture is too thick add a small amount of additional water, juice or some of your fruit to loosen up and assist with removing from blender)
We would guess that your will need 1/8 teaspoon of Pomona’s Pectin to replace the 1 tablespoon liquid pectin. The calcium from the milk in your gelato should be sufficient to jell the pectin.
Best of luck and we would love to hear how it turns out!
Charlie
When I search “calcium water,” your site says that I need to add it if my fruit doesn’t have calcium. Sadly that doesn’t answer the question most of us have. In fact it begs another one, meaning there are two:
1) How do we know the calcium content of our fruit, and
2) Where do we get calcium water or how do we make it?
This info would be far more helpful. I’m keen to use your product, but I won’t purchase it if I don’t know if I’ll be able to activate it.
Would you advise, please?
Shelby Collings
Hello Charlie,
Every purchase of Pomona’s Pectin will come with an adequate amount of calcium powder. Each of our recipes, in the direction sheet and on our website tells you how much calcium water is needed for your jam/jelly to jell, so there is no guessing or research needed.
Please let us know if you have any other questions. We are happy to help!