JELLY MAKING
Jelly making is simple enough, if a few general
rules are observed. Jellies are made by cooking

‘together certain fruit juices and sugar in the

right proportions. A good jelly will have certain

qualities. It should be of good color, with spark-
ling transparency, of decided flavor, and firm
enough, with out being tough or gummy, to hold
its shape: when slipped out of the glass.

: Fruit juice is composed mostly of water, and

also of small amounts of ‘flavoring substance,

%,

sugar, acids and a most important substance
called. pectin. Without pectin present in the
fruit juice, no jelly can be made unless arti-
ficial means are employed. Some fruits are
very rich in pectin, while others have very little.
Hence the importance of choosing fruits rich in

it, or of combining two fruits when one is

known to have but little pectin. Sour apples,
unripe grapes, currants and quinces have a large
proportion of pectin, while pears, peaches,

strawberries and cherries have: smaller amounts. »

Overtripe fruit is almost entirely deficient in

pectin, and it is impossible to make jelly from

it. Always cook fruit juice before straining out

the juice, for heat is essential in developing the
pectin.

in pectin, while the same fruit. cooked is found

- use equal measures of the two juices.

to have a great deal.

| In using another fruit juice to supply pectin,
Apples
are ordinarily used for this purpose, since the

apple juice is mild and will not obscure the de- :;

sired flavor. Even when fruit*is rich in pectin,
I find that it does not do any harm if I have
been using apples to add the peeling and cores to

the fruit I wish to jell, when I put it on to cook,

before straining. It certainly gives a firmer

 felly. But do not squeeze the jelly bag.

JELLY MAKING (ID)

‘Failures in jelly making are usually attribut-
able to four causes: 1. Use of over-ripe fruit. 2.
Use of too much sugar. 2. Cooking too large a

Uucooked fruit is often found lacking

quantity of fruit juices at a time. 4. Fallure to
add a fruit rich in pectin when using fruits
known to be lacking in pectin, as, for example,
using ripe cherries, without combining with their
juice ‘some apple juice to supply the pectin.

TESTING FOR PECTIN

After fruit and water have been boiled until
the fruit is mushy, take a teaspoon of the
cooked fruit juice, add %% teaspoon sauge and %
teaspoon Epson’ salts, stir until dissolved and let
stand 15 minutes in a cool place when, if it
contains ‘sufficient pectin to make a good. jelly,
the mixture will set.

One secret of quick and perfect jelly is to
ave everything hot which comes in contact with.
the jelly. Add the sugar after testing it on a plate
in the oven, and have the jelly glasses standing
in a pan of hot water, ready for the jelly as soon
as it is ready to remove. from the fire. ‘Have
everything before putting the fruit on the boil.

|
To make a good jelly, fruit juice shouid
taste about as tart as a sour apple. If juice
is found to be lacking in acidity. add a litile
lemon or other acid fruit juice. Crush soft |
fruits with a wooden masher and add just enough

‘water to prevent them from burning, then heat

slowly over the fire, when hot and cooked, but
do not boil, pour into jelly bag to drip.

Hard fruits, such as apples, quinces, pears, etc.,
are prepared by washing, then cutting and placed
in a saucepan, skins, cores, seeds, etc. Barely cover
in a saucepan, cores, seeds, etc. Barely cover
with water and cook until soft, then drain
through a jelly bag, but do not squeeze.

Measure the fruit juice before putting it over
the heat, bring to the boiling point quickly and
boil 8 minutes, skim just before adding the sugar .
and then as required. To each cup add % cup
hot sugar which has been heated. If you are
making blueberry, green grape and _ currants,
then use equal measure sugar. Stir rapidly after
the sugar is added until dissolved, then boil .
rapidly for 5 to 8 minutes.

‘Learn to work neatly, carefully, quietly and quickly.