Modern cookery, in all its branches

Bake separately in a very slow oven, or boil in a pan or copper of water as described at page 497, any number of fine ripe damsons, and one-third the quantity of bullaces, or of any other pale plums, as a portion of their juice will, to most tastes, improve, by softening the flavour of the preserve, and will render the colour brighter. Pour off the juice clear from the fruit, strain and weigh it; boil it quickly without sugar for twenty-five minutes, draw it from the fire, stir into it ten ounces of good sugar for each pound of juice, and boil it quickly from six to ten minutes longer, carefully clearing off all the scum. The jelly must be often stirred before the sugar is added, and constantly afterwards. DAMSON, OR RED PLUM SOLID. (GOOD.) Pour the juice from some damsons which have stood for a night in a very cool oven, or been stewed in a jar placed in a pan of water ; weigh and put it into a preserving pan with a pound and four ounces of pearmains (or of any other fine boiling apples), pared, cored, and quartered, to each pound of the juice ; boil these together, keeping them well stirred, from twenty-five to thirty minutes, then add the sugar, and when it is nearly dissolved, continue the boiling for ten minutes. This, if done with exactness, will give a perfectly smooth and firm preserve, which may be moulded in small shapes, and turned out for table. The juice of any good red plum may be used for it instead of that of damsons. To each pound clear damson-juice, 1£ lb. pearmains (or other good apples), pared and cored : 25 to 30 minutes. Sugar, 14 oz: 10 minutes. [chap. xxiv. EXCELLENT DAMSON CHEESE. When the fruit has "been baked or stewed tender, as directed above, drain off the juice, skin and stone the damsons, pour back to them from a third to half of their juice, weigh and then boil them over a clear brisk fire, until they form quite a dry paste ; add six ounces of pounded sugar for each pound of the plums ; stir them off the fire until this is dissolved, and boil the preserve again without quitting or ceasing to stir it, until it leaves the pan quite dry, and adheres in a mass to the spoon. If it should not stick to the fingers when lightly touched, it will be sufficiently done to keep very long ; press it quickly into pans or moulds ; lay on it a paper dipped in spirit when it is perfectly cold ; tie another fold over it, and store it in a dry place. Bullace cheese is made in the same manner, and almost any kind of plum will make an agreeable preserve of the sort. To each pound of fruit, pared, stoned, and mixed with the juice and boiled quite dry, 6 oz. of pounded sugar . boiled again to a dry paste. RED GRAPE JELLY. Strip from their stalks some fine ripe black-cluster grapes, and stir them with a wooden spoon over a gentle fire until all have burst, and the juice flows freely from them ; strain it off without pressure, and pass it through a jelly-bag, or through a twice-folded muslin ; weigh and then boil it rapidly for twenty minutes ; draw it from the fire, stir in it until dissolved, fourteen ounces of good sugar, roughly powdered, to each pound of juice, and boil the jelly quickly for fifteen minutes longer, keeping it constantly stirred, and perfectly well skimmed. It will be very clear, and of a beautiful pale rosecolour.