Berry Jelly Food

BLACKBERRY JELLY

Steps:

• FOR JUICE: Lightly mash berries and cook in water on top of stove for about 20 mins over medium/med high heat.
• FOR JELLY: Strain berries through cheesecloth, wire mesh strainer or sieve. SAVE JUICE! Discard berries and seeds.
• Measure sugar exactly. (do not reduce or use sugar substitute) Set aside.
• Measure juice exactly. Place juice and pectin in a 6 to 8 quart sauce pot. Add butter now (if using) to reduce foaming.
• Bring mixture to FULL ROLLING BOIL (a boil that does not stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, STIRRING CONSTANTLY!
• Stir in all of sugar. Return to rolling boil and boil exactly one minute, Stirring constantly.
• Remove from heat and skim off any foam.
• Quickly ladle into prepared jars, within 1/8 inch of top. Wipe jar rims and threads with damp cloth. Cover with two piece lids. Screw on tightly.
• Process in a hot water bath for 5 mins or use the inversion method.
• NOTE: All instructions are included with pectin.
• Save any left over juice for a second batch! Can add up to 1/2 cup of water to juice if needed to make exact measurement.
• Have fun and enjoy!

BLACKBERRY JELLY

Steps:

• Put two small, sterilised saucers in the freezer - you will use these to test the setting point of the jam. You can sterilise the saucers by washing them in hot soapy liquid, rinsing and placing in an oven at 180C/160C fan/gas 4 for 5 mins. Remove carefully and allow to cool.
• Wash and drain the fruit, cut the apple into 2-inch pieces and tip into a large, heavy-based saucepan with 200ml water and the lemon juice. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer with a lid on for 10-15 mins until the fruit is soft. Stir occasionally using the back of a wooden spoon to help break down the fruit.
• Remove from the heat and allow to cool a little. Place the fruit in a muslin lined sieve over a large mixing bowl and allow the juice to drip through. Discard the contents of your sieve, retaining your muslin to use another time.
• Weigh the remaining liquid and return to the saucepan. Weigh three quarters of sugar to your total liquid amount (for example, if you have 400g of liquid, add 300g of sugar). Add the sugar to the berry liquid and stir over a low medium heat until completely dissolved.
• Turn up the heat and bring the fruit to the boil, stirring occasionally, and allow to boil hard for about 8 mins. If using a thermometer, you're looking to reach 105C. If not, check the setting point of the liquid after 8 mins by removing a saucer from the freezer and adding a teaspoon of the berry liquid to the plate. Allow to sit for a minute. Push your finger through the liquid - if it starts to wrinkle the jelly is ready. If not, return to the boil and try again after another minute.
• Pour into sterilised jars and allow to cool completely. Store in a cool dark place.

BUFFALO BERRY JELLY

Steps:

• Wash, sort and stem berries.
• Place in deep saucepan or jelly kettle and bring to a boil, stirring often.
• Simmer for 10 minutes, then mash with a potato masher.
• Simmer an additional 5 minutes.
• Run through a food mill or jelly bag. You may have to mash juice out of the jelly bag with your hands to fully discharge -- there should be about 2 cups of milky juice.
• Measure fruit juice and add boiling water through pulp to make a full two cups. Pour into deep pot, on medium-high.
• Add sugar and stir well.
• Add butter (reducing foaming) and bring to a boil. If adding pectin, do so once it has begun to boil.
• Boil hard for 1 minute while stirring constantly.
• Ladle into hot canning jars, apply lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Jelly will turn darker, ranging from peach to orangey-red as it processes. It will not be clear, but resemble honey.

SURE.JELL BLACKBERRY JELLY

Steps:

• Bring boiling-water canner, half full with water, to simmer. Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain jars well before filling.
• Crush berries thoroughly, one layer at a time. Place three layers damp cheesecloth or a jelly bag in large bowl. Pour prepared fruit into cheesecloth. Tie cheesecloth closed; hang and let drip into bowl until dripping stops. Press gently. Measure exactly 3-3/4 cups juice into 6- or 8-qt. saucepot.
• Stir pectin into juice in saucepot. Add butter to reduce foaming. Bring mixture to full rolling boil (boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar. Return to full rolling boil and boil 1 min., stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.
• Ladle immediately into prepared jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. (Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.) Cover; bring water to gentle boil. Process 5 min. Remove jars and place upright on towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middles of lids with finger. (If lids spring back, lids are not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)

STRAWBERRY JELLIES

Steps:

• Ask a grown-up to put 6 tsp boiling water into a jug. Sprinkle on the gelatine, then whisk carefully until it dissolves.
• Pour in the juice and whisk, making sure it's all mixed in.
• Pull the green hulls out of the strawberries. Use a knife to cut them into slices or small chunks.
• Put some pieces of strawberry into 6 glasses leaving a few to decorate at the end. They should be full but with plenty of room around them.
• Pour the juice into 6 glasses, filling them almost to the top. Put them on a plate or tray in the fridge to set. They will take about 4 hours to set.
• When the jellies are set, decorate with whipped cream and extra strawberries.

SURE.JELL BLUEBERRY JELLY

Steps:

• Bring boiling-water canner, half full with water, to simmer. Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain well before filling.
• Crush blueberries thoroughly, one layer at a time. Place three layers of damp cheesecloth or a jelly bag in large bowl. Pour prepared fruit into cheesecloth. Tie cheesecloth closed; hang and let drip into bowl until dripping stops. Press gently. Measure exactly 3-1/2 cups prepared juice into 6- or 8-qt. saucepot.
• Stir pectin into juice in saucepot. Add butter to reduce foaming. Bring mixture to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar. Return to full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil exactly 1 min., stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.
• Ladle immediately into prepared jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. (Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.) Cover; bring water to gentle boil. Process 5 min. Remove jars and place upright on a towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middles of lids with finger. (If lid springs back, lid is not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)

SUMMER BERRY & LIME JELLIES

Steps:

• The day before serving, make the jelly by bringing 1 litre of water to the boil with the sugar, lime zest and juice. Soak the leaves of gelatine in a bowl of ice-cold water. When the sugar has dissolved, remove the pan from the heat. Squeeze the excess water from the gelatine, then add to the pan. Pass the syrup through a sieve into a bowl, then allow to cool to room temperature.
• Ladle a layer of jelly into six ramekins or little jelly moulds, scatter in a layer of raspberries, then leave in the fridge for 1 hr or so to set. Top up with a bit more of the jelly, then leave to set. Continue with a layer of strawberries and then blueberries, remembering to set each layer before the next is started. Once the moulds are full of fruit, top with a drizzle more jelly, then place in the fridge. Leave overnight to set.
• To serve the jellies, briefly dip the moulds in hot water, then loosen from the sides and turn out onto small plates. Serve with clotted cream and shortbread.