Coca-Cola Marmalade

Making this marmalade in your own kitchen is easy! You'll only need two readily available ingredients and a little time. You can substitute Coke with any other favorite drink, like Pepsi, Fanta, or Sprite. There's no need for sugar, as soda is already sweet enough.

Why doesn't the marmalade set?

Housewives often encounter the problem of marmalade not setting. Sometimes this happens even when the recipe is followed exactly. There are several reasons why marmalade doesn't set in the refrigerator. Before and during cooking, consider the following:

1. The main ingredient. All natural fruits and berries have different densities. For example, apples are the most suitable fruit for making marmalade—they contain a lot of pectin, which has a positive effect on the setting process. However, if you're using cherries or raspberries, you may need to use more agar-agar.
2. Thickener quality. To thicken marmalade, use agar-agar, pectin, or gelatin. Regardless of the thickener you use, it must be suitable for use, dry, and tested.
3. Amount of sugar. The more sugar you add to the marmalade, the denser the mixture becomes. This directly affects the setting time.

Gelatin, agar-agar and pectin: which is better?

Pectin is found in many fruits, so there are several different varieties. Redcurrants have a large amount of pectin, which gives five-minute jam a jelly-like consistency. Blackcurrants have slightly less, but still contain sufficient amounts. Apples contain the most pectin under the skin. Therefore, when making marmalade, they should be whipped with the skin on and then pressed through a sieve to remove the film. Apple peels are often used alone, mixed with other fruits. But the quince (or "iron apple") holds the record for the highest pectin content.

Agar-agar is the most suitable product for making marmalade. This natural mixture is produced from red and black seaweed. This marmalade is prized as a medicine because it helps with many spinal and joint ailments. The mixture made with agar is dense, yet elastic and crumbly.

Gelatin comes in two varieties: natural and "natural-looking." The former is only suitable for jellied meats and aspics, as it has a distinctive odor. The latter is used for marmalade and jelly. Both lose their properties after their shelf life. Therefore, gelatin should not be stored in a damp place, and should only be soaked in hot (not boiled!) water, otherwise the marmalade will not set.