Jams and Jellies

Wendy, Plot 28

All these recipes are from my Mum’s old book by Marguerite Patten, price when new was 2 shillings and six pence.

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TIPS

• Sterilise jam jar lids by boiling in a pan of water for five minutes and jars in a microwave on high for the same time. 

• There is no need to top and tail fruit when making jelly jams.

• Strain cooked fruit through a jelly bag over night to extract the juice. If no jelly bag, a large piece of muslin inside a sieve or colander will suffice. Do NOT squeeze the bag or press through as this results in cloudy jelly of a poor texture.

• For jam, make sure that the fruit is completely soft before adding sugar or you will have hard fruit in the finished product

• Make sure that the sugar is thoroughly dissolved before boiling rapidly or you will have sugar crystals in the finished product.

• Watch the jam carefully when boiling as it is liable to boil over but make sure it has a good rolling boil while cooking.

• Test for setting – place a saucer in the fridge to chill. Put a teaspoon of jam on the cool saucer and refrigerate for a few minutes until cold.   Run your finger lightly over the surface of the jam. It is ready if it crinkles a little.

• Allow jam with fruit pieces in to cool for 5 minutes and stir well before decanting into jars. Jellies can be decanted immediately.

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Redcurrant Jelly

INGREDIENTS

• 1lb/ 500 grams red currants

• ¼ pint/150ml water

• Sugar

• Simmer fruit and water until very soft

METHOD

1. Measure the juice 

2. Allow 1lb/500gms of sugar to each pint/600ml of juice

3. Place juice in a large pan, add sugar and stir until dissolved.

4. Boil rapidly without stirring until set.

5. Decant into jars, cover with a waxed disc and allow to cool completely before closing.

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Gooseberry and Elderflower Jelly

INGREDIENTS

• 1lb/500gms gooseberries

• ½pint/ 300ml /500 grams water

• 2 tablespoons/30ml elderflower cordial

• Sugar

METHOD

1. Measure the juice 

2. Allow 1lb/500gms of sugar to each pint/600ml of juice

3. Place juice in a large pan, add sugar and stir until dissolved.

4. Boil rapidly without stirring until set.

5. Stir in 2 tablespoons/30ml elderflower cordial before bottling.

6. Decant into jars, cover with a waxed disc and allow to cool completely before closing.

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Bramble and Mixed Spice Jam

INGREDIENTS

• 1lb/500grams blackberries

• 1/8 pint/ 5ml water

• Sugar

• 1 teaspoon/5ml mixed spice

METHOD

1. Measure the juice 

2. Allow 1lb/500gms of sugar to each pint/600ml of juice

3. Place juice in a large pan, add sugar and stir until dissolved.

4. Add mixed spice

5. Boil rapidly without stirring until set.

6. Decant into jars, cover with a waxed disc and allow to cool completely before closing.

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Plum and Star Anise Jam

INGREDIENTS

• 1lb/500 grams plums

• 12oz/375 grams sugar

• 2 or 3 star anise

METHOD

1. Remove stones from plums and simmer with water and star anise until really soft.

2. Add sugar and bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.

3. Boil rapidly until set.

4. Remove star anise before bottling. 

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Rhubarb and Orange Jam

INGREDIENTS

• 1lb rhubarb

• 1lb sugar

• Zest and juice of 1 orange

METHOD

1. Simmer rhubarb with no water until soft.

2. Add sugar and stir until completely dissolved.

3. Add orange zest and juice then bring to a rolling boil.

4. Boil rapidly until set.

TIP: You will not get a firm set with rhubarb but the flavour is lovely. You can add the juice of a lemon to get a better set.

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