Fruit recipes

juicy fruits and the amount of sugar may be lessened or omitted entirely if the fruit is to be used for cooking purposes.) Place the fruit in the hot jars, (tops loose) filling up with the syrup; then put jars in a boiler on afalse bottom of slats, perforated wood, or some soft material (as hay or cloth) having the surface even, and so packing in the jars with the hay, etc., that they donot touch or move about with the motion of the (later) boiling water. Fill the boiler to the necks of the jars with lukewarm water; place the boiler-cover on over the fire and let water heat gradually. Afterit reaches boiling point let it boil twenty minutes for small fruits and longer for the heavier kinds, then remove the cover; pull the boiler back for convenience when the steam has disappeared. Remove the jars singly, plating them in a shallow pan of boiling water; fill up with boiling syrup and seal. Be sure that all air bubbles are gone. Place again on perforated board to cool where there are no draughts. The covers may have to be tightened before setting away. Another method is to fill the jars with the fruit, adding a half cup of granulated sugar for each pint of fruit, sifting it into the jars (with no water). Proceed then as above till jars are to be removed when fill each one up with boiling water or boiling syrup (either syrup prepared or from one of the other jars of fruit). Set jars in a dark place, or wrap each one in paper. The old rule for the richer preserves is pound for pound of sugar and fruit. For jelly the general rule is pint for pound of fruit juice and sugar, but this must vary with the kind or condition of fruit. With very sweet fruit the quantity of sugar should be less than the measure of syrup. Avoid making jelly (or icing or candies) on rainy or damp days. Choose a dry and if possible a sunny day. Never squeeze the fruit in jelly-bag but first wring out the bag in hot water to avoid any waste of juice. In using spices place them in cheesecloth bags and remove them before the jars are sealed for the more delicate pickles or spiced fruits as the spice will darken the fruit and tend to make it look old (see Citron Melon in Jelly, under Melons), PRESERVED FRUIT SYRUPS With some fruits the juice may be preserved without sugar, aS with some grapes and with currants. For syrups to be used for sauces, drinks, frozen desserts, etc., measure juice and add half the amount of sugar. Half this amount of sugar will suffice for an ordinary preserved fruit juice. Bring to boiling point then strain; re-heat; boil five minutes and bottle. TO MULL WINE To one pint of wine add one fourth pint of water which has been steeped with one teaspoon each of mace, cinnamon, and cloves. Sweeten to taste. FRUIT LOZENGES Cherries, currants, or other tart fruits may be made into the old-fashioned lozenges by adding one-third pint (or less) of sugar to each pint of thick, strained fruit juice, simmering together forty minutes and adding when at boiling point two tablespoons gelatine dissolved in a very little cold water. Stir well, remove, and continue stirring till it begins to cool and thicken when pour into buttered earthen pans. Let dry slowly, sprinkle with sugar during the process, and cut into shapes liked. COOKED SOFT CREAM CANDY FOR STUFFING FRUITS Where confectioner’s sugar is not used with white of egg (uncooked), making stiff enough to roll, the following will be found satisfactory: Take two pounds of white sugar and one teacup of water or milk, boiling till just before it threads from spoon if water is used, if milk, till it thickens and can be softly rolled when dropped in water (‘the soft ball stage’). Flavour with vanilla or fruit juice. Remove and stir till creamy. CLEAR FRUIT CANDY