I am interested in making jam, but I currently live in Russia. THey do not have pectin here. Is there a substitute for pectin? I want to make Blueberry jam. Thanks.

Can you order pectin online and have it shipped to you? I'm sure there are a number of suppliers that sell it online. Is the problem getting it to Russia?

I know I could order it online, but international mail packages have to go through customs and that means it takes about 4 weeks for a package to get here. That is why I am hoping to get an alternative.

Found the following, don't know if the recipe is any good...

http://www.recipelink.com/mf/20/2596

The following text is from the URL

There are several ways to make sugar free jams. You may purchase a pectin designed for no sugar jams and follow the recipes. There are recipes that use a liquid sugar substitute. I just found this on the web:
1 cup unsweetend apple juice
1 cup sliced strawberries,fresh or frozen
1 1/2 T. cornstarch
Combine 1/2 the berries,apple juice and cornstarch in a blender.Pour into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn down on low and simmer until thick.Can be used as a sauce while hot or chill and use as a jam. Pectin can be used instead of the cornstarch which is what the store brands do.Also can substitute other fruit juices and fruit to make other flavors. I know when I purchase sugar free spreads, they use white grape juice, fruit,and pectin. I may give this method a try myself. I have also heard of recipes that use gelatin, but don't have one yet.

Hi- you could try including apples in your recipe- a rich source of pectin, I think.. also a dash of lemon juice. Don't think u get guavas in Russia- we use them out here in India.ciao

Will gelatin work instead?

As far as I know, gelatin is a non-vegetarian product and may be subject to spoilage- tho' depending on the sugar content I don't think it would be a problem. Don't know the proportions you would have to use though to have the same gelling effect... maybe 1/2 the quantity of pectin?

Try out this site as well-useful for substitutions:
Cook's Thesaurus: Gelatins (http://www.foodsubs.com/ThickenGelatins.html)