How can make home made jelly?!
Answers:
I make a strawberry spread/jam like this:
(you can use other berries but I've only done strawberry)
1 container of strawberries
sugar (to taste you make it as sweet as you want)
cornstarch- about 4 tablespoons dissolved in water
vanilla and/or almond extract
1 lemon
Prep:
Cover the strawberries in water in a saucepan and bring to a light boil then reduce heat and simmer until berries are soft.
turn off heat and you can break down the strawberries 1 of 2 ways:(1)mush them through a strainer, (2) smash them up right in the pot in the liquid if you want big chunks of berry.
Once you do that put the heat back on low, pour in the cornstarch,sugar and and vanilla/almond extract. Like I said put as much or as little sugar as you want based on your personal taste. stir until the sugar is disolved and its as sweet and you want it and squeeze the juice from half a lemon into the mixture. You could also add some zest from the lemon at this point as well. The lemon just really brightens up the flavor. When the sugar and everything is disolved turn the heat off and let the mixture cool. It will thicken as it cools but if you find its not thick enough just disolve 2 or 3 more tablespoons of cornstarch in a little water and stir it in over low heat for 3-4 mins then let cool again.
End result: Yummy strawberry spread that tastes great on everything from toast to in between cake layers as the filling (which I do often)
Hope you try this one out its really good and I hope you like it :-)
University of Minnesota site about:
Making Jelly
William Schafer
Food Science and Nutrition
Fruit jellies are semisolid, preserved mixtures of fruit juice and sugar. Jelly making is a good way to preserve fruit flavors for enjoyment throughout the year. Fruit jelly is a fairly easy-to-prepare product for the beginning canner and may be made at home without much special equipment.
http://www.extension.umn.edu/distributio…
Ingredient
3 cups grape juice
5 1/4 cups white sugar
1 (2 ounce) package powdered fruit pectin
Direction
Sterilize and dry jars for jelly, and set side. I like to use my dishwasher. New lids are recommended for best results.
Combine grape juice and pectin in a large pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, and stir one minute at a rolling boil. Stir in sugar for a few minutes to completely dissolve. Remove from heat.
Ladle the hot jelly into the jars, leaving 1/2 inch of space at the top. Wipe rims of jars with a clean dry cloth. Cover with a lid and ring to seal. Let stand 24 hours at room temperature, then refrigerate. Jelly may take up to a week to set. Once set, it is ready to serve. Store in the refrigerator for up to three weeks, once set. If canning for long term storage, process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes, or contact your local extension for processing times in your area. afooddirectory.com/
Here are two sites that will get you started properly!
http://tipnut.com/homemade-recipes/
http://www.freshpreserving.com/pages/pre…
English jelly-----Fruit juice and gelatin
American jelly--ie jam. Depends on the fruit.
