Preservation of food. Home canning, preserving, jelly-making, pickling, drying by Hayes Olive Elliot 1885-

Author:Hayes, Olive Elliot, 1885-
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Tags: Canning and preserving
Publisher: Victoria, B.C., Printed by W.H. Cullin, printer to the King's most excellent Majesty
Published: 1919-03-25T05:00:00+00:00

JELLY-MAKING.

In order to make good jelly, fruit-juice must contain two ingredients, acid and pectin. The pectin is generally known as a substance in fruits which makes jelly " jell." It is found in the largest quantities in the cores, seeds, and hard parts of fruit, and as the fruit ripens it is changed into a substance which has very little of the jellying property. For this reason it is important to use fairly ripe fruit and to include cores, seeds, and skins in the first boiling to extract the juice.

Test for Pectin. —To test fruit-juice for pectin, add i teaspoon ordinary alcohol to I teaspoon cold fruit-juice. If pectin is present, a solid mass, which is pectin, collects. This indicates that in making jelly i part of sugar should be used to i part of juice. If there is no pectin, the solution should remain clear.

The changing of the juice from a liquid to a jelly is brought about by the combined effect of sugar, acid, and boiling upon the pectin of the fruit-juice. Some fruits, such as peaches, quinces, pears, and sweet apples, contain sufficient pectin but are deficient in acid, and when making jelly from these fruits lemon-juice is added. A fruit that jells with difficulty may be combined with one that jells readily; apples, though possessing little flavour, have all the necessary jellying qualities. When any desired flavour is added, good jelly results. Fruits suitable for jelly-making are currants, ripe and partially ripe grapes, crab-apples, sour apples, green gooseberries, wild cherries, and plums. Raspberries may be used, though they jell less rapidly.

It is, of course, possible to supply the deficiency of either acid or pectin. In oranges and lemons the white material between the pulp and yellow rind is very rich in pectin. This may be extracted by grinding or chopping fine the thick white part, soaking in cold water 12 to 24 hours, and then simmering i hour. Equally good results may be obtained, however, by adding a generous supply of apple cores and skins to the fruit before boiling to extract the juice. A deficiency of acid may be likely overcome by adding some acid fruit. Rhubarb-juice added to any fruit-juice will bring out the flavour and add zest to the jelly. Tartaric or citric acid are perfectly safe fruit products and may be obtained in crystalline form. One level teaspoon to a quart of juice is usually sufficient; however, this depends on the acidity of the fruit. To test, stir the juice until all acid crystals are dissolved; then taste. It should be about as acid as good tart apples.

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