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Fruit JelliesRecipe : Fruit Jellies
Procedure :
1/2 pt Strained fresh raspberry -juice 1 lb Loaf sugar 1 oz Powdered gelatin Colouring if necessary 2 tb Cold water 10 Drops lemon juice Raspberry Jellies Prepare raspberry juice by crushing the fruit, warming it in a bowl over hot water until the juice flows freely and then straining through muslin. Soak the gelatine in the cold water. Dissolve the sugar in the juice and boil up to 240 F or the soft ball stage. Add the lemon juice and gelatine. Re-heat to 240 F and pour into a tin previously rinsed in cold water. If the colour is pale add a few drops of cochineal before the end, but fresh fruit should give a brilliant colour. When set, loosen the sides with a hot knife and stand the pan on a cloth wrung out of boiling water. Turn the jelly out on to a board. Cut into cubes and roll in very fine confectioner's sugar. Stand the sweets in a warm place overnight so that the sugar crystals adhers. Blackcurrant Jujubes 1/2 pint pure strained blackcurrant syrup 1 oz granulated sugar 1 tablespoon pure glycerine 6 tablespoon glucose 1 oz powdered gelatine Soften the gelatine in a little water. Dissolve the sugar and glucose in the juice - very slowly, over gentle heat. Add glycerine and bring to boiling point. Remove from heat, add gelatine and stir until dissolved. Re-heat but do not boil. Rinse a 6" sandwich tin with cold water; pour the jelly mixture in. Proceed as in second paragraph of directions for Raspberry Jellies. This is a very good sweet for irritated throats. Fruit Jellies All juicy fruits in season make delicious sweets. Proceed as for Raspberry Jellies, using colouring when necessary to enhance the natural tint. Redcurrants, gooseberries ~ both green and red - blackberries, hips and pineapples are just a few to be tried. Fresh pineapple must be well cooked if used with gelatine, as it contains a natural digestant which dissolves gelatine. Two methods of Crystallising: CRYSTALLISING CANDIED FRUIT (This is the chapter that the author said to use for crystallising the jellies. I assume where it says fruit you would substitute jellies.) A sparkling finish is much sought after in this class of sugar work, so here are two recipes-one very simple, the other correct and of lasting quality. SIMPLE CRYSTALLISING Dip each fruit very quickly into boiling water-just in and out-drain it on blotting-paper or butter muslin. Have ready sufficient sieved granulated sugar spread upon a sheet of paper to accommodate the fruits. Roll them gently about in the sugar until completely coated. Leave in a dry, warm situation for some hours to reduce any moisture. They will have a satisfying appearance, glistening in the light. ADVANCED CRYSTALLISING A crystallising tray is much to be desired for this purpose, but to improvise, a baking tray, deep and able to accommodate two wire cake racks on top of each other, will serve very well. Carefully measure how much liquid will be required to cover the fruits when they rest in the tin. Place one rack in the baking tin, arrange the fruits upon it so that they do not touch each other or the side of the pan. Place the second rack feet upwards upon the fruits, holding them gently in place. Cut a piece of greaseproof paper the exact size of the interior of your saucepan. Fold it across and across, then nip the centre point out leaving a hole about 1" in diameter. Make a syrup by dissolving 2 pounds of granulated sugar in 1 pint (20 ounces) of water. This is your basic recipe- increase it proportionately if the amount will not cover the fruits in the tin. They must be entirely immersed. Bring the syrup to a boil and strain it through muslin wrung out in hot water. Return the syrup to the saucepan, bringing it up rapidly to 220-225 F, remembering that the higher temperature gives larger crystals, and is good for imposing fruits, while 220 F gives finer crystals suitable for cherries, grapes and nuts. Put the pan where it won't be jarred in the slighest degree, covering the actural syrup with the prepared circle of paper. Steam will escape through the central hole. Agitation of the pan will result in a "grainy" syrup, so tread warily. When slightly cool-about 15 minutes-tilt the saucepan so that the syrup flows gently around and over the fruits held down by the wire cake rack. Cover with a cloth and leave for at least 12 hours. Then, if you have a crystallising tray, draw off the liquid. Otherwise, gently lift your tray of fruits from the baking tin. In eigher case place the fruits in a warm cupboard to thoroughly dry off once more. They should be covered with shimmering crystals of a size to suit your taste, according to the original temperature of the syrup. You will be left with a quantity of syrup which cannot be used again for crystallising. It can, however be used to make delicious toffee or to sweeten stewed fruits. Used with apples in lieu of sugar, it gives a unique flavour to an Apple Cake. |
