Have the flannelsand
clothe used for straining perfectly clean
and white, and the strainer Btand
illustrated will be found a great conven-
ience. The cut explains itself, and the
stand can be made by any one at all fa-
miliar with the use of tools.
To extract the juice, place froit in
stniBHSuid. kettle with just enough water to keep
from burning, or bruise with potato masher until enough
juice starts for the same purpose, stir often, and let remain
881 FRUIT JELLIES.
i
orer fire until thoroughly Bcalded; or a better but rather slow-
er method is to place it in a stone jar set in kettle of tepid
water, boil until fruit is well softened, stirring frequently, and
then strain a small quantity at a time through a strong coarse flan-
nel, crash or cotton bag, wrung out of hot water, after which let it
drain, and squeeze it with the hands as it cools, emptying the bag
and rinsing it off each time it is used. A three-cornered bag is best
and there is not so much need of pressing a bag of this shape, the
weight of the fruit in the large part causing the juice to flow freely
at the point. Press occasionally at the top and sides if necessary,
but the jelly will be clearer if the juice is allowed to drain through
without squeezing. The small salt bags do nicely for straining a
small quantity and can be kept for this purpose. If jelly is wanted
very nice, strain the juice again through a clean cloth, then return it
to the clean preserving kettle. The larger fruits, such as apples and ,
quinces, should be cut in pieces, cores removed if at all defective^
wat^ added to just cover them, boiled gently until tender, turned ^
into bag and placed to drain for three or four hours, or overnight. i
Make not over two or three pints of jelly at a time as larger quanti-
ties require longer boiling. As a general rule allow equal measures
juice and sugar✪ Fruit Jelly. Some boil juice rapidly ten minutes from the first
moment of boiling, skim, add sugar, and boil ten* minutes longer;
but a better way, which insures a clearer jelly, is to spread the sugar
in a large dripping-pan, set in oven and stir often to prevent burn-
ing ; boil the juice twenty minutes, skimming carefully, add hot
sugar, let boil five minutes and pour into the prepared jelly-glasses
immediately, as a thin skin forms over the surface when jelly cools^
which should not be broken as it keeps out the air, and if formed
upon the top of glasses of jelly acts as a preservative. Do not put
on paper dipped in alcohol or brandy till jelly is cold, as the skin
might thus be broken. This applies to jams when put up in glasses
or stone jars. It is always best to test jelly before pouring into
glasses, as some fruit juices require longer boiling than others to re-
duce to jelly. The simplest test is to take a few drops on a spoon
and by holding it in a cool place and turning from side to side one
can easily tell when it jellies, as it will jellj^ the spoon and not run ;
or drop a little in a glass of very cold water, and i£ ii. immediately
falls to the bottom it is done ; or if whei^^^sMf^ped in a sa^i^r omd
set on ice or in a cool place it does not spread, but remains rounde^ it
\
FRUIT JELLIES. 385
Page 323 · 1 recipe record on this page
Presented as published in 1890. 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
Have the flannelsand clothe used for straining perfectly clean and white, and the strainer stand illustrated will be found a great convenience. The cut explains itself, and the stand can be made by any one at all familiar with the use of tools.
To extract the juice, place froit in
strainer kettle with just enough water to keep
from burning, or bruise with potato masher until enough
juice starts for the same purpose, stir often, and let remain
orer fire until thoroughly scalded; or a better but rather slower method is to place it in a stone jar set in kettle of tepid water, boil until fruit is well softened, stirring frequently, and then strain a small quantity at a time through a strong coarse flannel, crash or cotton bag, wrung out of hot water, after which let it drain, and squeeze it with the hands as it cools, emptying the bag and rinsing it off each time it is used. A three-cornered bag is best and there is not so much need of pressing a bag of this shape, the weight of the fruit in the large part causing the juice to flow freely at the point. Press occasionally at the top and sides if necessary, but the jelly will be clearer if the juice is allowed to drain through without squeezing. The small salt bags do nicely for straining a small quantity and can be kept for this purpose. If jelly is wanted very nice, strain the juice again through a clean cloth, then return it to the clean preserving kettle. The larger fruits, such as apples and ,
quinces, should be cut in pieces, cores removed if at all defective, water added to just cover them, boiled gently until tender, turned into bag and placed to drain for three or four hours, or overnight. i
Make not over two or three pints of jelly at a time as larger quantities require longer boiling. As a general rule allow equal measures juice and sugar. Some boil juice rapidly ten minutes from the first moment of boiling, skim, add sugar, and boil ten minutes longer;
but a better way, which insures a clearer jelly, is to spread the sugar in a large dripping-pan, set in oven and stir often to prevent burning ; boil the juice twenty minutes, skimming carefully, add hot sugar, let boil five minutes and pour into the prepared jelly-glasses immediately, as a thin skin forms over the surface when jelly cools^ which should not be broken as it keeps out the air, and if formed upon the top of glasses of jelly acts as a preservative. Do not put on paper dipped in alcohol or brandy till jelly is cold, as the skin might thus be broken. This applies to jams when put up in glasses or stone jars. It is always best to test jelly before pouring into glasses, as some fruit juices require longer boiling than others to reduce to jelly. The simplest test is to take a few drops on a spoon and by holding it in a cool place and turning from side to side one can easily tell when it jellies, as it will jelly the spoon and not run ; or drop a little in a glass of very cold water, and i£ ii. immediately falls to the bottom it is done ; or ifwhen dropped in a saucer and set on ice or in a cool place it does not spread, but remains rounde^ it
\
FRUIT JELLIES. 385
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Fruit Jelly