_Time_.--10 minutes to boil the fruit and water; 30 minutes with the sugar, or longer.
_Average cost_, from 6d. to 8d. for a pot capable of holding 1 lb.
_Sufficient_.--Allow from 6 to 7 quarts of currants to make 1 dozen pots of jam, each pot to hold 1 lb.
_Seasonable_.--Make this in July.
BLACK-CURRANT JELLY.
1531. INGREDIENTS.--Black currants; to every pint of juice allow 1/4 pint of water, 1 lb. of loaf sugar.
_Mode_.--Strip the currants from the stalks, which may be done in an expeditious manner, by holding the bunch in one hand, and pa.s.sing a small silver fork down the currants: they will then readily fall from the stalks. Put them into a jar, place this jar in a saucepan of boiling water, and simmer them until their juice is extracted; then strain them, and to every pint of juice allow the above proportion of sugar and water; stir these ingredients together cold until the sugar is dissolved; place the preserving-pan on the fire, and boil the jelly for about 1/2 hour, reckoning from the time it commences to boil all over, and carefully remove the sc.u.m as it rises. If the jelly becomes firm when a little is put on a plate, it is done; it should then be put into _small_ pots, and covered the same as the jam in the preceding recipe.
If the jelly is wanted very clear, the fruit should not be squeezed dry; but, of course, so much juice will not be obtained. If the fruit is not much squeezed, it may be converted into a jam for immediate eating, by boiling it with a little common sugar: this answers very well for a nursery preserve.
_Time_.--About 3/4 hour to extract the juice; 1/2 hour to boil the jelly.
_Average cost_, from 8d. to 10d. per 1/2-lb. pot.
_Sufficient_.--From 3 pints to 2 quarts of fruit should yield a pint of juice.
_Seasonable_.--Make this in July.
RED-CURRANT JAM.
1532. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of fruit allow 3/4 lb. of loaf sugar.
[Ill.u.s.tration: JAM-POT.]
_Mode_.--Let the fruit be gathered on a fine day; weigh it, and then strip the currants from the stalks; put them into a preserving-pan with sugar in the above proportion; stir them, and boil them for about 3/4 hour. Carefully remove the sc.u.m as it rises. Put the jam into pots, and, when cold, cover with oiled papers; over these put a piece of tissue-paper brushed over on both sides with the white of an egg; press the paper round the top of the pot, and, when dry, the covering will be quite hard and air-tight.
_Time_.--1/2 to 3/4 hour, reckoning from the time the jam boils all over.
_Average cost_, for a lb. pot, from 6d. to 8d.
_Sufficient_.--Allow from 6 to 7 quarts of currants to make 12 1-lb, pots of jam.
_Seasonable_.--Make this in July.
RED-CURRANT JELLY.
1533. INGREDIENTS.--Red currants; to every pint of juice allow 3/4 lb.
of loaf sugar.
_Mode_.--Have the fruit gathered in fine weather; pick it from the stalks, put it into a jar, and place this jar in a saucepan of boiling water over the fire, and let it simmer gently until the juice is well drawn from the currants; then strain them through a jelly-bag or fine cloth, and, if the jelly is wished very clear, do not squeeze them _too much_, as the skin and pulp from the fruit will be pressed through with the juice, and so make the jelly muddy. Measure the juice, and to each pint allow 3/4 lb. of loaf sugar; put these into a preserving-pan, set it over the fire, and keep stirring the jelly until it is done, carefully removing every particle of sc.u.m as it rises, using a wooden or silver spoon for the purpose, as metal or iron ones would spoil the colour of the jelly when it has boiled from 20 minutes to 1/2 hour, put a little of the jelly on a plate, and if firm when cool, it is done.
Take it off the fire, pour it into small gallipots, cover each of the pots with an oiled paper, and then with a piece of tissue-paper brushed over on both sides with the white of an egg. Label the pots, adding the year when the jelly was made, and store it away in a dry place. A jam may be made with the currants, if they are not squeezed too dry, by adding a few fresh raspberries, and boiling all together, with sufficient sugar to sweeten it nicely. As this preserve is not worth storing away, but is only for immediate eating, a smaller proportion of sugar than usual will be found enough: it answers very well for children"s puddings, or for a nursery preserve.
_Time_.--From 3/4 to 1 hour to extract the juice; 20 minutes to 1/2 hour to boil the jelly.
_Average cost_, from 8d. to 10d. per 1/2-lb. pot. _Sufficient_.--8 quarts of currants will make from 10 to 12 pots of jelly.
_Seasonable_.--Make this in July. _Note_.--Should the above proportion of sugar not be found sufficient for some tastes, add an extra 1/4 lb.
to every pint of juice, making altogether 1 lb.
WHITE-CURRANT JELLY.
1534. INGREDIENTS.--White currants; to every pint of juice allow 3/4 lb.
of good loaf sugar.
_Mode_.--Pick the currants from the stalks, and put them into a jar; place this jar in a saucepan of boiling water, and simmer until the juice is well drawn from the fruit, which will be in from 3/4 to 1 hour.
Then strain the currants through a fine cloth or jelly-bag; do not squeeze them too much, or the jelly will not be clear, and put the juice into a very clean preserving-pan, with the sugar. Let this simmer gently over a clear fire until it is firm, and keep stirring and skimming until it is done; then pour it into small pots, cover them, and store away in a dry place.
_Time_.--3/4 hour to draw the juice; 1/2 hour to boil the jelly.
_Average cost_, from 8d. to 10d. per 1/2-lb. pot.
_Sufficient._--From 3 pints to 2 quarts of fruit should yield 1 pint of juice.
_Seasonable_ in July and August.
BAKED DAMSONS FOR WINTER USE.
1535. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of fruit allow 6 oz. of pounded sugar; melted mutton suet.
_Mode_.--Choose sound fruit, not too ripe; pick off the stalks, weigh it, and to every lb. allow the above proportion of pounded sugar. Put the fruit into large dry stone jars, sprinkling the sugar amongst it; cover the jars with saucers, place them in a rather cool oven, and bake the fruit until it is quite tender. When cold, cover the top of the fruit with a piece of white paper cut to the size of the jar; pour over this melted mutton suet about an inch thick, and cover the tops of the jars with thick brown paper, well tied down. Keep the jars in a cool dry place, and the fruit will remain good till the following Christmas, but not much longer.
_Time_.--From 5 to 6 hours to bake the damsons, in a very cool oven.
_Seasonable_ in September and October.
DAMSON CHEESE.
1536. INGREDIENTS.--Damsons; to every lb. of fruit pulp allow 1/2 lb. of loaf sugar.
_Mode_.--Pick the stalks from the damsons, and put them into a preserving-pan; simmer them over the fire until they are soft, occasionally stirring them; then beat them through a coa.r.s.e sieve, and put the pulp and juice into the preserving-pan, with sugar in the above proportion, having previously carefully weighed them. Stir the sugar well in, and simmer the damsons slowly for 2 hours. Skim well; then boil the preserve quickly for 1/2 hour, or until it looks firm and hard in the spoon; put it quickly into shallow pots, or very tiny earthenware moulds, and, when cold, cover it with oiled papers, and the jars with tissue-paper brushed over on both sides with the white of an egg. A few of the stones may be cracked, and the kernels boiled with the damsons, which very much improves the flavour of the cheese.
_Time_.--1 hour to boil the damsons without the sugar; 2 hours to simmer them slowly, 1/2 hour quickly.
_Average cost_, from 8d. to 10d. per 1/3 lb. pot.
_Sufficient_.--1 pint of damsons to make a _very small_ pot of cheese.
_Seasonable_.--Make this in September or October.