JAMS AND JELLIES

New Zealand Listener, Volume 12, Issue 288, 29 December 1944, Page 15

JAMS AND JELLIES

OLIDAY time or not, when the fruit is ripe and ready, the jam and jelly must be made. Very often it seems as if everything happens together, and must be done all at the same time — cooking for the shearers and harvesters, picking the fruit and making the jam — everything at once. Very likely there won’t be enough sugar to do everything, either. But you can always fall back on PULPING, thank goodness-that is, just boil the fruit to a pulp, with little or no water, according to the kind of fruit, just sufficient liquid to prevent burning until the juice starts to flow as the fruit cooks. Have the jars heated ready, and fill them with the BOILING pulp, and seal immediately. If you are uncertain about your screw tops, cover the whole top of the jar well with melted wax after screwing down, as an extra precaution. If you haven’t any wax, paste two or three layers of paper all over the screw top, bringing them well down the jar. Flour and water paste will doboiling water, of course. A New Zealand home-maker can generally think of some way out of a difficulty. If you get any bright ideas, please let us know.

Black. Currant Jelly (Unusual Method) Two pounds black currants, 2Ib. sugar, 4% pint water. Boil water and sugar for 10 minutes, then add fruit, including the stalks, and boil for 15 minutes after it comes back to the boil. Test on cold plate. Strain and bottle, Black Currant Jam (With Rhubarb Juice) Boil some rhubarb with not much water, so as to have strong juice. Strain as for jelly. To 114 breakfast cups of this rhubarb juice allow l1lb. black currants and 144lb, sugar. Boil the currants in the juice for 10 minutes, add the warmed sugar, and bring back to the boil, stirring all the time till the sugar is properly dissolved. Then boil fast for 5 or 6 minutes, Test before taking up.

Black Currant Jam (With Boiling Water) Three pounds currants, 114 pints boiling water. Boil for 10 minutes. Add 4¥%4lb. sugar and the juice of a lemon, stir well till boiling point is regained, then boil fast for 10 to 15 minutes. Test before taking up. Three Fruit Jelly One pound raspberries, 2lb. red currants, 2lb. black currants. Barely cover with water, and bring slowly to the boil. Simmer slowly till thoroughly cooked.’ Strain all night through jelly-bag, Next day, allow cup for cup sugar and juice, bring to boil, stirring constantly till sugar is dissolved. Then boil steadily till it will set when tested-about 15 to 20 minutes, Raspberry Jam (No Water) Pick over the raspberries and put into pan, without any water. Crush a few to cause a little juice to flow, and bring —

to boil quickly, Add an equal weight of sugar, stir till dissolved, and then boil fast till it will set when tested — approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Raspberry Jam One pound raspberries, 1lb. sugar, %4 pint water. Boil sugar and water for 5 minutes. Add raspberries, and boil 15 to 20 minutes. Test before taking up. Strawberry Jam (No Water) Hull the strawberries and bring them to boil, crushing a few to start juice flowing. Add an equal quantity of hot sugar, and stir till dissolved. Then add juice of a lemon and boil hard, Should be done in three minutes. Strawberry Jam Six pounds strawberries, 4141b. sugar. Wash and drain the berries, sprinkle with the sugar and leave overnight. Then simmer till berries are plump (from 30-40 minutes). Juice of a lemon may be added. Raspberry Preserve at (Yorkshire)

Four pounds raspberries, 5lb. sugar. Place the raspberries on a large dish and put into a hot oven. Then place the sugar on another large dish and put that also into the oven, When they are very hot (not boiling), beat the fruit thoroughly, then gradually add the hot sugar, beating all well together until sugar is dissolved. It is then ready to be put in the jars. This jam is said to keep any length of time, and has the flavour of freshly-gathered fruit. It is easily made, as there is no boiling or simmering. Potted Raspberries (County Tyrone) : Four pounds fine white sugar, loz. fresh butter, 4lb, raspberries, Pick over the berries, using also the bruised ones. Have sugar heated in a bowl in a warm oven. Rub butter round a preserving pan, put over a very low gas, and place the berries in. When they start to bubble, pour into the warm sugar. Beat with a wooden spoon for 30 minutes, pour into pots and cover, This is said to make about 8lb. of lovely preserve with real raspberry flavour and colour, |

Loganberry and Raspberry Jam One pound loganberries, 1!b, raspberries, 1 cup water, 2lb, and 1 cup sugar, Boil berries in water a few minutes. Add warmed sugar, bring back to boil and boil hard about 10 minutes. Test it before taking up. Bottled Loganberries To each level breakfast cup of sugar, add 2 breakfast cups water. Boil together for 10 minutes. Place the loganberries (after washing) in hot sterilised jars, and pour over them the thick boiling syrup, immediately sealing the jars tightly. The boiling syrup has enough heat to cook the berries. Fruit must be picked DRY, and not in the wet, otherwise it will not keep,