INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

The less sugar you use the greater the flavor impact of the fruit. If
honey is used there will be a flavor change and the jellies/jams must
be cooked longer. If you use artificial sweeteners use only the
Cyclamate type to avoid bitterness and follow the manufacturer's
instructions. Cooked down jellies in which the juice is extracted by
the open kettle method contain 60% fruit versus commercial products
[pressure cooked to extract more juice but pectin destroying] with
only 45%  Jelly: has great clarity from dripping the cooked fruit
through a  cloth before adding sugar and finishing.  Jams, Butter and
Pastes: are whole fruit purees of increasing density.  Marmalades,
Preserves and Conserves: are bits of fruit in a heavy  syrup.  High
Pectin Fruits: Apples, Crabapples, Quinces, Red Currants,
Gooseberries, Plums and Cranberries. These need no additional pectin.
If you get syrupy jelly you used too much sugar or did not cook the
juice long enough after adding the sugar.  Low Pectin Fruits:
Strawberries, Blueberries, Peaches, Apricots,  Cherries, Pears,
Blackberries, Raspberries, Grapes, Pineapple and  Rhubarb. These
require combining with high pectin fruits or adding a  commercial
pectin.  To Test Pectin Content: Put 1 tbl cooled fruit juice in a
glass. Add  an equal amount of grain alcohol and shake gently. The
alcohol will  bring the pectin together in a gel. If a large amount of
pectin is  present it will appear in a single mass or clot when poured
from the  glass. Use equal amounts of juice and sugar.  If the pectin
collects  in several small particles use have as much sugar as juice.
To sterilize jelly glasses: fill jars 3/4 full of water and place  them
in a shallow pan partly filled with water. Simmer 15 min and  then keep
hot until filled. If the lids are placed on the steaming  jars they
will be sterilized simultaneously.  Tips: -Use enamel or stainless
steel pots not aluminum or copper. -On  average, use 3/4 c sugar to 1 c
fruit or juice depending on pectin  content[see above]. -Very acid
fruits can tolerate a whole c of sugar.  ~Sterilize jars and seal
tightly. -For fruit that tends to discolor  add lemon juice or Ascorbic
acid. -Keep in a cool dark place but do  not refrigerate.  Making Jam:
is easiest and most economical as it needs only one  cooking step and
uses the pulp. Measure the fruit. In putting it in  the pan, crush the
lower layers to provide moisture until more is  drawn out by cooking or
add a little water. Simmer the fruit until it  is soft. Add sugar and
stir until dissolved. Bring to a boil,  stirring to avoid sticking.
Reduce heat and cook until thickened- up  to 1/2 hr.  Making Preserves
and Conserves: Place fruit in a pot with an equal  amount of sugar in
layers ending with sugar on top and allow to rest  overnight. Bring
slowly to a boil and simmer until fruit is  translucent. Drain fruit
and put in sterile jars. Simmer syrup longer  if necessary to thicken
it and pour over fruit. Seal and store.  Making juice for jelly: Wash
and drain fruit. Prick or crush the  fruit. Add water if fruit is not
juicy enough eg. apples. Add enough  to the kettle that you can see it
through the fruit but the fruit is  not floating. Cook uncovered until
the fruit is soft and loosing its  color. Have ready a jelly bag
[several layers of cheese cloth] . Wet  it, wring it out and line a
strainer with it. Let the juice drip  through without squeezing it as
this muddies and flavors the jelly.  This juice can be kept up to 6
months before proceeding by freezing  or canning it.  Making jelly:
Measure the strained juice and put it in an enamel or  stainless steel
pan. Simmer 5 min. Skim off froth. Measure and warm  sugar in a pan in
the oven and add it. Stir until dissolved. Cook at  a gentle simmer
until the point of jelling. To test, place a small  amount of jelly on
a spoon, cool it slightly and let it drop back  into the pot from the
side of the spoon. As the syrup thickens, 2  large drops will form
along the edge of the spoon. when these two  drops run together and
fall as a single drop the "sheeting" stage has  been reached- 220 to
222 deg F and the jelly will be firm when  cooled. It can take anywhere
from 10 to 30 min for jelly to reach  this stage depending on the fruit
and the amount of sugar. Take the  jars from the sterilizing bath and
invert on a cake cooler. They  should be hot but dry when filled. Fill
to 1/4" from the top. Cover  with melted paraffin 1/8" deep. Posted to
MM-Recipes Digest V3 #210  Date: Sun, 4 Aug 1996 09:08:21 -0500  From:
pickell@cyberspc.mb.ca (S.Pickell)

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