What is the difference, if any between jam and jelly?

elizabethmc

"In jelly, the fruit comes in the form of fruit juice. In jam, the fruit comes in the form of fruit pulp or crushed fruit (and is less stiff than jelly as a result). In preserves, the fruit comes in the form of chunks in a syrup or a jam." http://home.howstuffworks.com/question84.htm Mar 08 05, 1:23 PM

lothruin

Jelly is made from clear, strained fruit juice. It is labor intensive sometimes, depending on the fruit you use. The result is a clear or mostly clear gel. Jam is made from fruit that has been crushed up to a pulp, and the resulting spreadable will include juices with bits of fruit pulp, seeds, etc. suspended in it, making for a transluscent but not at all clear substance. Preserves are made by adding cut up chunks of fruit or fruit rind (as in orange) to juice and then gelling. You'll have chunks suspended in clear. Having recently gotten involved with helping my mother make jellies and jams, I'll vote for the jams anytime. Crush the stuff up and go for it. Mar 08 05, 10:04 PM