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HOME CANNING MANUAL 



PRINCIPLES OF JELLY MAKING 



To be satisfactory, jelly must be made from 

 fruit juice containing pectin and acid. Pectin 

 is a substance in the fruit which is soluble 

 in hot water and which, when cooked with 

 sugar and acid, gives, after cooling, the right 

 consistency to jelly. 



Fruits to be used should be sound, just ripe 

 or slightly under-ripe, and gathered but a 

 short time. Wash them, remove stems and 

 cut large fruits into pieces. 

 With juicy fruits add just 

 enough water to prevent 

 burning while cooking. In 

 using fruits which are not 

 juicy cover them with water. 

 Cook slowly until the fruits 

 are soft. Strain through a 

 bag made of flannel or two 

 thicknesses of cheesecloth or 

 similar material. 



TELLY MAKING WITH 

 PECTIN TEST 



To determine if the juice 

 contains pectin, boil 1 table- 

 spoonful and cool. To this add 1 table- 

 spoonful of grain or wood alcohol and mix, 

 gently rotating the glass. Let stand for a 

 while. If a solid mass which is pectin 

 collects, this indicates that in making jelly 

 one part of sugar or sugar substitute (corn 

 syrup or honey) should be used to one part 

 of juice. If the pectin collects in two or three 

 masses, use % to ^ as much sugar or sub- 

 stitute as juice. If it collects in several 

 small particles use half. If the presence of 

 pectin is not shown as described, it should be 

 supplied by the addition of the juice of 

 slightly under-ripe fruits, such as sour apples, 

 currants, crab-apples, green grapes, green 

 gooseberries or wild cherries. 



Measure the juice and sugar or substitute. 

 Sugar may be spread on a platter and heated. 

 Do not let it scorch. When the juice begins 

 to boil add the sugar or substitute. Boil 

 rapidly. This is important. The jelly point 

 is reached when the juice drops as one 

 mass from the side of a spoon or when two 

 drops run together and fall as one from the 

 side of the spoon. Skim the juice, pour into 

 sterilized glasses and cool as quickly as pos- 

 sible. Currant and green grape juice require 

 8 to 10 minutes boiling to reach the jelly 

 point while all other juices require from 20 

 to 30 minutes. 



When the jelly is cold pour over the sur- 

 face a layer of hot paraffin. A toothpick 

 run around the edge while the paraffin is still 

 hot will give a better seal. Protect the par- 

 affin with a cover of metal or paper. 



FIG. 35. Straining fruit juice. 



Three or more extractions of juice may be 

 made from fruit. When the first extraction 

 is well drained cover the pulp with water and 

 let it simmer 30 minutes. Drain, and test 

 juice for pectin. For the third extraction 

 proceed in the same manner. The juice re- 

 sulting from the second and third extractions 

 may be combined. If the third extraction 

 shows much pectin a fourth extraction may 

 be made. The first pectin 

 test should be saved for com- 

 parison with the others. 



If the second, third or 

 fourth extraction of juice is 

 found thinner than the first 

 extraction, boil it until it is 

 as thick as the first, then 

 add the sugar or substitute 

 called for. 



JELLY MAKING WITH- 

 OUT TEST 



The test for pectin is de- 

 sirable, but it is not essential. 

 A large percentage of house- 

 wives make jelly without this test, and satis- 

 factory results may be obtained without it if 

 care is taken to follow directions and to use 

 the right fruits. For the inexperienced jelly 

 maker the safe rule is to confine jelly-making 

 to the fruits which are ideal for the purpose. 

 These include currants, sour apples, crab- 

 apples, under-ripe grapes, quinces, rasp- 

 berries, blackberries, blueberries, wild cher- 

 ries, and green gooseberries. These contain 

 pectin and acid in sufficient quantities. 



In making jelly without the alcohol test, 

 with the juice of currants and under-ripe 

 grapes use 1 cup of sugar to 1 cup of juice. 

 With raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, 

 sour apples, crab-apples, quinces, wild 

 cherries and green goosebe ries use ^ cup 

 of sugar to 1 cup of juice. This applies to 

 the first extraction of juice and to the later 

 extractions when they have been boiled to 

 the consistency of the first extraction. 



Satisfactory jelly may be made by using 

 % to 34 cup corn syrup or honey to 1 cup of 

 fruit juice, following the general directions 

 for jelly making. The proportion of sugar 

 substitute will depend upon the acidity and 

 pectin content of the fruit juice. On account 

 of the water content of the corn syrup the 

 juice will require a little longer cooking before 

 the jelly point is reached. 



Fruits which contain pectin but lack suffi- 

 cient acid are peach, pear, quince, sweet 

 apple and guava. With these acid may be 

 added by the use of juice of sour apples, 

 crab-apples or under-ripe grapes. 



Strawberries and cherries have acidity but 



