About three years I planted two redcurrant bushes in the garden. Nothing much came of them for the first year which wasn't much of a surprise. Last year I got a few redcurrants off one plant but nothing more than what could be used as a garnish. The other plant seemed to have some currants on it as well but they didn't seem to be ripening. It was then that someone pointed out to me that this was probably a whitecurrant bush and not a redcurrant one. I checked the tag on it and the variety should have been a redcurrant but on closer inspection it was indeed a whitecurrant. The perils of buying cheap plants at the supermarket. You can tell if a currant bush is a whitecurrant as the fruits when they ripen look like ghost berries with the seeds visible through the outer skin.
This year the yield has been
much better but of course this is also the first year of us having an
allotment plot which has some huge redcurrant bushes on it. In fact
at the weekend there was so many redcurrants to pick I ran out of
space in the basket.
Back home I decided to strip
what was on the two bushes in the garden. You can make redcurrant and
whitecurrant jelly in exactly the same way and it's fine to mix them
together. If you have a lot of whitecurrants in with the redcurrants
you'll get a lovely rosé
colour to the jelly.
Equipment:
Large high sided saucepan, wooden spoon, jelly strainer stand, jelly
bag or muslin square, large glass jug, 2 small plates/saucers,
freezer, jam thermometer (optional), around 5-6 standard sized jam
jars and lid.
Ingredients
5½lb
(2.6kg) Redcurrants (and whitecurrants if you have any) including
stalks
1½
pints (860ml) Water (Formula is 300ml water to 900g currants
so 2600/900 x 300 = 860 rounded down)
550g
Granulated sugar for each 600ml of liquid. I had 2200ml so used 2kg
of granulated sugar (2200/600 x 550 = 2000g rounded down)
Method
1.
Wash the fruit thoroughly discarding any leaves, unripe or over ripe
fruit.
2.
Put the fruit into the saucepan and add the water.
3.
Bring to the boil and mash the fruit lightly to help extract the
juices. Reduce to a simmer.
4.
Cook for about 30-45 minutes making sure the fruit doesn't burn.
5.
Set up your jelly strainer and put a glass jug underneath.
6.
Spoon some the fruit and juices into the jelly strainer. Add small
amounts until all the mixture is in the strainer.
7.
Leave to strain for a couple of hours at least. Do not be tempted to
squeeze the bag as this will result in a cloudy jelly.
8.
Check the volume of liquid and calculate the amount of sugar
required.
9.
Put the plates or saucers into the freezer.
10.
Ensure the jars are clean and dry. Put into the oven to sterilize at
120°C/Gas mark ½-1.
11.
Pour the jelly liquid back in the large saucepan (ensure no bits
remaining in the pan) and bring to the boil. Add the sugar and stir
gently to dissolve.
12.
Keep at a rolling boil for about 10-12 minutes and then try the
setting point. If using the thermometer this should read about
104ºC/220ºF.
13.
Take one of the plates out of the freezer and drop a small amount of
the liquid onto the plate. Push it with the spoon and if it wrinkles
and moves it is ready to bottle. If not keep boiling and try again in
a minute.
14.
Quickly take the pan off the heat and take the jars out of the oven
(remember it will be hot!).
15.
Pour jelly into the jar. Skim any scum off the top. Put the lid on
immediately to ensure that 'pop' when first opened.
No comments:
Post a Comment
I appreciate your comments. If you have any tips, tricks or tweaks please pass them on!