Gapping the Bottles. — The bottles are now ready
for capping, and much of the success depends upon
the care taken in capping. The india-rubber
rings are next put on. Have ready a basin of hot
water, and before laying the ring on the mouth of
the bottle dip it into hot water for a second or two.
This makes the rubber more flexible and more likely
to lie flat, which i3 an important point. When the
ring is in its place put on the metal cap. Care must
be taken to place it on the bottle perfectly straight.
The spring clip is then put on, and the bottle is
ready to go into the steriliser. Imperfect capping
is often due to the ring or the cap being carelessly
put on. This allows the air to get in, and prevents
the bottle becoming hermetically sealed, as it should
be.
Sterilising the Fruit. — The bottles are now placed
in the steriliser. They should stand just clear of
each other. A sufficient quantity of cold water
is put in to cover the bottle three parts of the way
up. The lid is then put on and the thermometer
screwed into its socket. The temperature gener-
ally registered at this stage is about 60°. It is very
gradually allowed to rise until it reaches 155°. An
increase of two degrees a minute is enough. If
the temperature is allowed to go up with a rush the
skin of the fruit in the bottles will be cracked. It
nearly always takes an hour, if not more, before
the required temperature is reached. The bottles
should be kept at 155° for 45 minutes. If gas or
oil is used for heating, this is easily done by regu-
lating the flame. At the end of 45 minutes the
bottles are taken out and put to cool. If a screw-
topped bottle is used, the loose rim is now tightly
screwed down. Where the spring clip is used, it is
left on till the bottles are quite cold. When this
stage has been reached (probably the next day),
each bottle should be examined to see if the cap
is perfectly tight ; if so it has become hermetically
sealed, and will only move by pressure from without,
such as the insertion of a knife between cap and
rubber ring to raise it. This will be a proof of the
fruit keeping. If any are found imperfectly capped
they should be re-sterilised ; but a careful examina-
tion should be made of the cap to see if it fits
properly or not, as a certain percentage of those
sent out are sure to be faulty.
The foregoing directions can be applied, broadly
speaking, to all soft fruits enumerated above. The
temperature must also depend upon the quality of
the fruit. If young and tender 155°-160° is a
usual standard. The time occupied in sterilising
varies with the fruit ; larger fruit, such as plums,
require 25 minutes, pears 1 hour, apricots 45
minutes, peaches 45 minutes, tomatoes 30 minutes,
rhubarb 20 minutes.
2169. Syrup for Bottled Fruits
Sometimes it is desirable to bottle the fruit in
syrup instead of water only. The following is a
good recipe : To every quart of water allow | lb.
of the best cane sugar. Bring to the boil and
continue to boil at 212° for \ hour, taking care to
skim when necessary. Pour the syrup into a vessel,
and keep till quite cold before pouring over the
fruits.
2170. Cherries ✪ Plums
Page 766 · 3 recipe records on this page
Presented as published in 1914. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Gapping the Bottles. — The bottles are now ready for capping, and much of the success depends upon the care taken in capping. The india-rubber rings are next put on. Have ready a basin of hot water, and before laying the ring on the mouth of the bottle dip it into hot water for a second or two. This makes the rubber more flexible and more likely to lie flat, which is an important point. When the ring is in its place put on the metal cap. Care must be taken to place it on the bottle perfectly straight.
The spring clip is then put on, and the bottle is ready to go into the steriliser. Imperfect capping is often due to the ring or the cap being carelessly put on. This allows the air to get in, and prevents the bottle becoming hermetically sealed, as it should be.
Sterilising the Fruit. — The bottles are now placed in the steriliser. They should stand just clear of each other. A sufficient quantity of cold water is put in to cover the bottle three parts of the way up. The lid is then put on and the thermometer screwed into its socket. The temperature generally registered at this stage is about 60°. It is very gradually allowed to rise until it reaches 155°. An increase of two degrees a minute is enough. If the temperature is allowed to go up with a rush the skin of the fruit in the bottles will be cracked. It nearly always takes an hour, if not more, before the required temperature is reached. The bottles should be kept at 155° for 45 minutes. If gas or oil is used for heating, this is easily done by regulating the flame. At the end of 45 minutes the bottles are taken out and put to cool. If a screwtopped bottle is used, the loose rim is now tightly screwed down. Where the spring clip is used, it is left on till the bottles are quite cold. When this stage has been reached (probably the next day), each bottle should be examined to see if the cap is perfectly tight ; if so it has become hermetically sealed, and will only move by pressure from without, such as the insertion of a knife between cap and rubber ring to raise it. This will be a proof of the fruit keeping. If any are found imperfectly capped they should be re-sterilised ; but a careful examination should be made of the cap to see if it fits properly or not, as a certain percentage of those sent out are sure to be faulty.
The foregoing directions can be applied, broadly speaking, to all soft fruits enumerated above. The temperature must also depend upon the quality of the fruit. If young and tender 155°-160° is a usual standard. The time occupied in sterilising varies with the fruit ; larger fruit, such as plums, require 25 minutes, pears 1 hour, apricots 45 minutes, peaches 45 minutes, tomatoes 30 minutes, rhubarb 20 minutes.
2169. Syrup for Bottled Fruits
Sometimes it is desirable to bottle the fruit in syrup instead of water only. The following is a good recipe : To every quart of water allow | lb. of the best cane sugar. Bring to the boil and continue to boil at 212° for \ hour, taking care to skim when necessary. Pour the syrup into a vessel, and keep till quite cold before pouring over the fruits.
2170. Cherries
Records on this page
PlumsSyrup for Bottled FruitsCherries