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Jellies

Category: Misc

Author: The Savvybearcat

Date: 1/1/2007

Rating:

(3.0) by 1 users

Ingredients:

Text Only

Instructions:

Select and wash fruits. Remove stems, hulls, and blossom ends. Cut
hard fruit in quarters. Do not pare or remove seeds.

Extraction of Juice Soft Fruit: Use just enough water to prevent
fruit from sticking. Heat gradually, stirring constantly. Crush
fruit and cook until it has lost its color. Hard Fruit: Cook, with
sufficient water to cover, until fruit is soft. Do not crush if a
clear jelly is desired.

Straining the Juice: Pour cooked fruit into a wet flannel jelly bag.
Allow juice to drip into a large container. Do not squeeze fruit if a
clear jelly is desired. When juice has stopped dripping return pulp
to preserving kettle. Add sufficient water to cover. Cook slowly,
stirring constantly, for thirty minutes. Again strain juice, but keep
this second extraction separate from the first as the first
extraction makes the clearest jelly. A third extraction may be made
from some fruits, depending upon the pectin content.

Test for Pectin: Combine 1 tablespoon cooked fruit juice, 1 teaspoon
sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon Epsom salts. Stir until salts dissolve. Allow
to stand about 20 minutes. If juice contains sufficient pectin to
make jelly, the mixture will form into a gelatinous mass or large
flaky particles. If fruit juice shows only a small amount of pectin,
use an equal volume of apple juice, which is rich in pectin, and a
satisfactory jelly will be obtained.

Sugar Content of Jelly: Too large a proportion of sugar will result
in a gummy jelly which can not be molded. Too small a proportion of
sugar will result in a tough, dark jelly with an inferior flavor.
Currants, unripe grapes, and green gooseberries are about the only
fruits which require an equal measure of sugar. Two-thirds as much
sugar as fruit juice is the usual rule.

Cooking the Jelly: Work with a small quantity of juice, not more
than two quarts at a time. Measure juice, heat rapidly to boiling.
Add sugar, stir until it is dissolved. Boil rapidly until a jelly
test is obtained. The sugar may be heated before adding to boiling
juice if desired.

The Jelly Test: Dip a spoon into the boiling liquid. Pour juice from
spoon. If it sheets and two drops hang together from the side of the
spoon, the jelly is done and must be removed from the fire
immediately. Skim.

Sealing and Storing: Pour the jelly immediately into freshly
sterilized glasses. Cover at once with a thin layer of melted
paraffin. Roll the glasses to insure the entire surface being well
covered. Cool. Cover with a second layer of melted paraffin. Label.
Store in a cool place.