When to add sugar in jelly making. As previously stated, Tarr
has found that the jellying strength of the pectin is lessened if boiled
before the addition of sugar. Yet, if the sugar is added to the pectin and
PROPORTION OF SUGAR AND JELLY YIELD 165
acid prior to boiling, the jelly strength is not decreased even when boiled
as long as 42.8 minutes. Directions for making jelly often state to boil
the juice for a certain number of minutes before the sugar is added. From
Tarr's results it would seem a much better practise to add the sugar to
the juice and concentrate it after the sugar is added. Long boiling of the
sugar and fruit juice produces a darker-colored jelly, the extent of the
darkening depending upon the juice and the length of time of boiling. With
dark fruit juices this is not desirable, but it may improve the appearance
of light-colored ones. To prevent darkening after the sugar is added, the
jelly can be made in small lots so that boiling to the desired concentration
can be accomplished quickly. In extracting the fruit juice too much water
should not be added, as a large quantity of water only dilutes the pectin,
and then boiling is required to concentrate it.
Concentration o£ sugar in finished jell. Jelly can be made with a
wide range or proportion of sugar to juice, from about 40 to 70 per cent
in the finished jell. From the reports in the literature, the average per-
centage of sugar in commercial jelly, unless acidity or pectin is abnormally
high, varies from 60 to 65 per cent. The concentration of sugar desirable
in the finished jelly varies somewhat with the juice from which the jelly
is made. Thus gooseberry juice, which usually has a pH 2.6 to 2.8 and also
has a high pectin content, is usually of better texture if the final concen-
tration of sugar is short of or about 60 per cent. Cox states that for cran-
berry sauce too stiff a jelly can be prevented by stopping the boiling process
when the sugar concentration is somewhat below 60 per cent. Cox states
that premature gelation can be brought about by too much pectin, acid, or
sugar, or all three. For some fruit juices Tarr and Baker have found
that 70 per cent of sugar in the finished product gives a jelly of good tex-
ture. With higher concentrations than 75 per cent the sugar may crystallize
from the jelly.
Proportion of sugar and jelly yield in illustrations. In general,
other factors remaining constant, the yield of jelly parallels the amount of
sugar added. The gooseberry juice for the jellies in the illustrations is from
the same source, so that the pectin content and viscosity of the juice were
the same. The percentage of sugar in the finished jell is about 60, since all
were boiled to 103°C. In Experiment 24 the yield of" jelly parallels the
sugar added. See Figs. 15 and 16. The firmness of the different jellies
varies. The 2 cups of juice boiled down yield less than ^ cup of jelly. It
is very firm, hard, and difficult to pull apart. The percentage of sugar in
it is not known, but both the pectin and acid have been enormously concen-
trated. With }i cup of sugar to a cup of juice the yield is a little more
than 34 cup of jelly. This jelly is very firm, solid, and hard. With ^ cup
of sugar to a cup of juice the yield is a little more than ^ cup of jelly.
Page 134
Presented as published in 1932. 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
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When to add sugar in jelly making. As previously stated, Tarr
has found that the jellying strength of the pectin is lessened if boiled
before the addition of sugar. Yet, if the sugar is added to the pectin and
PROPORTION OF SUGAR AND JELLY YIELD 165
acid prior to boiling, the jelly strength is not decreased even when boiled
as long as 42.8 minutes. Directions for making jelly often state to boil
the juice for a certain number of minutes before the sugar is added. From
Tarr's results it would seem a much better practise to add the sugar to
the juice and concentrate it after the sugar is added. Long boiling of the
sugar and fruit juice produces a darker-colored jelly, the extent of the
darkening depending upon the juice and the length of time of boiling. With
dark fruit juices this is not desirable, but it may improve the appearance
of light-colored ones. To prevent darkening after the sugar is added, the
jelly can be made in small lots so that boiling to the desired concentration
can be accomplished quickly. In extracting the fruit juice too much water
should not be added, as a large quantity of water only dilutes the pectin,
and then boiling is required to concentrate it.
Concentration o£ sugar in finished jell. Jelly can be made with a
wide range or proportion of sugar to juice, from about 40 to 70 per cent
in the finished jell. From the reports in the literature, the average per-
centage of sugar in commercial jelly, unless acidity or pectin is abnormally
high, varies from 60 to 65 per cent. The concentration of sugar desirable
in the finished jelly varies somewhat with the juice from which the jelly
is made. Thus gooseberry juice, which usually has a pH 2.6 to 2.8 and also
has a high pectin content, is usually of better texture if the final concen-
tration of sugar is short of or about 60 per cent. Cox states that for cran-
berry sauce too stiff a jelly can be prevented by stopping the boiling process
when the sugar concentration is somewhat below 60 per cent. Cox states
that premature gelation can be brought about by too much pectin, acid, or
sugar, or all three. For some fruit juices Tarr and Baker have found
that 70 per cent of sugar in the finished product gives a jelly of good tex-
ture. With higher concentrations than 75 per cent the sugar may crystallize
from the jelly.
Proportion of sugar and jelly yield in illustrations. In general,
other factors remaining constant, the yield of jelly parallels the amount of
sugar added. The gooseberry juice for the jellies in the illustrations is from
the same source, so that the pectin content and viscosity of the juice were
the same. The percentage of sugar in the finished jell is about 60, since all
were boiled to 103°C. In Experiment 24 the yield of" jelly parallels the
sugar added. See Figs. 15 and 16. The firmness of the different jellies
varies. The 2 cups of juice boiled down yield less than ^ cup of jelly. It
is very firm, hard, and difficult to pull apart. The percentage of sugar in
it is not known, but both the pectin and acid have been enormously concen-
trated. With }i cup of sugar to a cup of juice the yield is a little more
than 34 cup of jelly. This jelly is very firm, solid, and hard. With ^ cup
of sugar to a cup of juice the yield is a little more than ^ cup of jelly.