Jamanda
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Red currant jelly questionThe pulp is dripping away in the kitchen. If I squeeze it will it go cloudy? I haven't got much. I suppose I could bulk it up with apple.
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gil
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Re: Red currant jelly question | Jamanda wrote: | | If I squeeze it will it go cloudy? . |
Yes.
Whether or not this matters is up to you.
Quantity vs agri show quality.
You could use apple as bulk.
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Jamanda
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Thanks Gil. I'll see what I've got in the morning and decide then.
I'm also going to make some blackcurrant cordial - sort of home homemade Ribena. I was going to do the same, but not boil to setting - maybe add a bit of water?
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cab
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If you've not got as much juice as you'd hope, its better to take the pulp, add more water to it, boil it up, strain that out again, and reduce it down. Cloudy jelly is still eatable, but its so much nicer clear.
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Jamanda
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| cab wrote: | | If you've not got as much juice as you'd hope, its better to take the pulp, add more water to it, boil it up, strain that out again, and reduce it down. Cloudy jelly is still eatable, but its so much nicer clear. |
OK, thanks. I'll give that a go Cab.
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Belinda
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Alternatively, if quantity is more important than clearness, you can push the pulp through a sieve and what you end up with is a 'cheese', which is lovely, and will set well.
I don't produce for shows, just for home, so a lot of my jellies end up as cloudy cheeses!
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Rosemary Judy
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I do what Belinda does......
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Jamanda
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I've decided to do what Can suggested but with a twist. I've put the pulp back into the pan with a few cooking apple wind falls and a bit of water to stop it sticking before the apples start to release their juice.
I often give jellies as part of Christmas gifts so I do want them nice and clear if possible. I might try the cheese thing with some blackberries. Thanks for all the suggestions.
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Jamanda
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Right, the red currents, with added apple are having their second drip. Time to go and dig out the raspberries. Jam next 
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lottie
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| Rosemary Judy wrote: | | I do what Belinda does...... |
So do I---clears pretty for presents[I use my steam juice extractor now rather than a bag though except for apples] but I think the sieved tastes better.
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Jamanda
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A steam juice extractor? I never heard of one of them. How does that work?
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lottie
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| Jamanda wrote: | | A steam juice extractor? I never heard of one of them. How does that work? |
I got mine from Ascott,It's 3 layers, water in the bottom, reservoir in the middle and your soft fruit in the top---the juice is drawn out of the fruit by steam extraction then you can take it off via a tube in the middle, it is sold principally for wine making I think but we also preserve blackberry elderberry etc juice as well---it is so hot if it goes straight into a glass bottle[old gin bottles are great] and the top screwed it is sterilized juice---I had blackberry juice this morning I bottled last year--you add sugar in with the fruit to taste, I'd been using it a few years when I realised I could use the juice for jellymaking as well---I'd been still using a jelly bag---I'm not always quick when the obvious is staring me in the face.  I have been told that the unscrupulous can adapt this for distilling---but of that I know nothing.
p.s. the bottled juice is quite concentrated and needs diluting for drinking forwine you just use the recommended amount of fruit per gallon and then make it up to the volume with water before adding yeast---very easy.
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Jamanda
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Could you use juice from a conventional juicer to make jelly then?
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lottie
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I don't see why not.---I never have but the principle must be the same
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Belinda
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Blackberries make wonderful cheese.
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Rosemary Judy
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They do !
and the best is a mix of red, and black currants and blackberries and raspberries and loganberries.....
uummmmmm
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lottie
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The nicest one I make is always clearing mixed berries out of the freezer--never the same twice---damson cheese is lovely as well though.
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wellington womble
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I wonder if you could use the steam juicer to make apple juice for cider. It's either that, or the garden shredder!
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cab
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In the past I've pressure cooked apples (4lb at a time with a little water), after chopping, sieved the mush to produce something not even vaguely clear, and fermented that out to cider. Isn't pretty, but it works.
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lottie
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| wellington womble wrote: | | I wonder if you could use the steam juicer to make apple juice for cider. It's either that, or the garden shredder! |
The one thing steam juicers are rubbish for is apples, any kind of berries they are brilliant for---make marvellous elderberry syrup to keep winter colds/flu at bay.
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