Red Currant Raspberry Jelly Food

RED CURRANT JELLY

Steps:

• Place the currants into a large pot, and crush with a potato masher or berry crusher if you have one. Pour in 1 cup of water, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Strain the fruit through a jelly cloth or cheese cloth, and measure out 5 cups of the juice.
• Pour the juice into a large saucepan, and stir in the sugar. Bring to a rapid boil over high heat, and stir in the liquid pectin immediately. Return to a full rolling boil, and allow to boil for 30 seconds.
• Remove from heat and skim off foam from the top. Ladle or pour into sterile 1/2 pint jars, filling to within 1/2 inch of the top. Wipe the rims with a clean damp cloth. Cover with new sterile lids and rings. Process covered in a bath of simmering water for 10 minutes or the time recommended by your local extension for your area.

SURE.JELL RED RASPBERRY 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 raspberries 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 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 (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar. Return to full rolling boil and 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 lids spring back, lids are not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)

RASPBERRY CURRANT SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine the raspberries and jelly in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Mix the cold water and cornstarch; stir into the raspberry mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; boil and stir one minute. Cool.
• Press through a sieve to remove seeds. (Don't skip this step!) Chill before serving.

CURRANT JELLY

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine currants with 1/3 cup water. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until fruit has broken down and released its juices, about 8 minutes. Mash the fruit mixture with a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon. Strain through a fine sieve into a large measuring cup, pressing on the solids to extract as much juice as possible. You should have about 4 cups juice. Discard solids.
• Place a small plate in the freezer. Return juice to clean saucepan; add sugar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer; cook, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. When teaspoon of jelly placed on chilled plate ripples if pushed with your finger, it is ready.
• Remove jelly from heat, and skim off any foam from surface. Ladle jelly into sterilized canning jars; wipe rims with a dishtowel. Seal tightly.
• Meanwhile, bring a stockpot of water to a boil over high heat. Using tongs, carefully place filled jars in boiling water, letting them sit 10 minutes. Remove; let cool. If center of jar lids give when pushed with finger, jars have not sealed properly. Jelly in sealed jars will keep up to 1 year. After opening, jelly will keep up to 2 months in the refrigerator.

RASPBERRY-CURRANT JAM

Steps:

• Wash the currants and put them in a sauce pan with the water.
• Cover the pot and bring to a boil, stirring gently, until the currants are all popped.
• Press them through a sieve, and reserve the puree.
• Discard the skins, stems and seeds.
• Gently rinse the raspberries and drain them well.
• Mix the currant puree, raspberries and sugar in a large pot.
• Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves.
• Boil hard until the mixture almost reaches the gell stage, about 20 minutes.
• Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
• Remove from the heat and skim.
• Seal in sterilized jars.
• Put in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes.

RED CURRANT & RASPBERRY JELLY

Steps:

• Using a potato masher, crush currants in a very large stainless steel or enamel saucepan.
• Add water& bring to a boil over high heat.
• Reduce heat, cover& boil gently for 10 minutes.
• Add raspberries, return to a boil& boil gently for 3 minutes.
• Strain mixture through a coarse sieve, pressing pulp to extract juice& discarding the solids.
• If you want, you can now pour the juice through a jelly bag (cheesecloth)- I'm lazy& don't do this!
• You should have 4 cups of juice - when I don't get that amount, I top up with cranberry cocktail - combine juice with sugar in a very large stainless steel or enamel saucepan.
• Bring to a boil& boil hard, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
• Remove from heat, stir in pectin& ladle into sterilized jars, leaving 1/2 inch head space.
• Be sure to remove any air bubbles.
• Place jars into boiling water in canner, add enough water to cover lids by 2 inches& return to boil.
• Boil for 5 minutes.
• Remove from canner, cool, label& store in cool, dark place.

REDCURRANT JAM

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.
• Remove the stalks from the fruit, and place the fruit in a large saucepan. Pour in 150ml water, bring to a simmer and cook gently for about 10 mins until the fruit has softened and is starting to break down. Place a sieve over a mixing bowl and push as much of the fruit and pulp through the sieve with the back or a spoon as possible, discarding the seeds and any stalks. You don't need to sieve the fruit if you prefer a seeded jam.
• Weigh the liquid and add three quarters of the sugar to the total liquid (for example, if your liquid is 400g, add 300g of sugar). Place back in the pan over a low medium heat and stir to dissolve the sugar.
• Once the sugar has fully dissolved, turn the heat up and bring to the boil. Stir occasionally. If using a jam or digital thermometer, wait until the liquid reaches 105C. If not, after about 8 mins, remove a saucer from the freezer and spread a teaspoon of jam over it. Let it sit for 1 min before pushing your finger through the liquid. If it starts to wrinkle, the jam is ready. If not, return to the boil and check again after another minute. Continue to do this until the jam reaches setting point.
• Allow to cool slightly, then pour into sterilised jars and allow to cool completely. Store in a cool dark place.