A guide to modern cookery

two lbs. of sugar, and, when the latter is dissolved, boil for a few minutes, carefully skimming the while. Add the apricots, set the whole to cook on a moderate fire, and stir incessantly, especially towards the end, when the jam is more particularly prone to burn on the bottom of the saucepan. Take the jam off the fire as soon as it reaches the “appe” stage, as explained above, and mix the almonds with the jam. 2957—CHERRY JAM Stone the cherries, and allow one and a half Ibs. of loaf-sugar per two lbs. of the fruit ; taking care to have equal weights of sugar and fruit if the latter be not over sweet. Put the sugar in the preserving pan ; moisten it with water that it may dissolve, and boil it for five minutes, skimming carefully the while. Add the cherries and a half-pint of red-currant juice, and cook over a fierce fire until the “ zappe” stage is reached. Remarks :—(1) The addition of red-currant juice is advocated for this jam, seeing that by ensuring the proper consistence it obviates prolonged cooking; and, as I have already pointed out, red fruit is all the better, and preserves a more perfect colour, when it is cooked rapidly. (2) When the fruit begins to boil, carefully skim it, otherwise the scum hardens, and not only spoils the jam but often sets it fermenting. 29058—STRAWBERRY JAM This is one of the most difficult jams to make. There are several ways of preparing it, and the one I give strikes me as the quickest and simplest. Clean the fruit, which should be just ripe. Only wash it when absolutely necessary, as, for instance, when mould has stuck to it. Allow twelve oz. of sugar per lb. of fruit. Put this sugar in a preserving pan, sprinkle it with water that it may dissolve, and cook it to the Jarge-ball stage (see No. 2344), taking care to skim thoroughly when boiling begins. Throw the strawberries into the sugar, and set the preserving pan on the side of the fire for seven or eight minutes ; that is to say, until the moisture of the fruit has dissolved the sugar to a syrup. Return the saucepan to a fierce fire, and cook the strawberries for ten or twelve minutes, remembering to carefully remove the scum that forms. Then withdraw the strawberries by means of a slice and drain them in a basin. Continue cooking the syrup rapidly, until the “nappe” stage shows signs of appearing, then return the straw- FRUIT-STEWS AND JAMS 823 berries for five minutes; that is to say, until the “ zappe” stage is completely reached. Fill the pots, little by little, that the strawberries may be well distributed in them and not rise in a mass to the top, as often happens when the receptacles are filled too quickly. 2959—ORANGE MARMALADE Select some oranges about equal in size, of a good colour, free from blemishes, and with thick and soft rinds. The latter con- sideration is important, secing that the parboiling operation is effected more perfectly when the rinds are thick and supple. Prick them somewhat deeply with a small, pointed stick (in order to precipitate the cooking process), and throw them into a preserving pan of boiling water. Boil for thirty minutes; drain the oranges, cool them, and put them under a running tap for twelve hours, or more if possible; or soak them in constantly changed, cold water for twenty hours. The object of this operation is to soften the rinds and extract their bitterness. This done, drain the oranges ; quarter them, remove their pips and filaments, and rub them through a coarse sieve. Take the same weight of sugar as of orange purée. Melt the former in the preserving pan, and boil it for five or six minutes, skimming carefully the while. Then add the orange purée, and one-quarter pint of good apple juice per lb. of the former. During the first stage of the cooking process, skim with great care, and during the second stage, stir almost incessantly until the “nappe” stage is reached. 2960—PLUM JAM