jelly advice needed asap please!

[Nicos]

If I do them in a pan I too put water to cover the fruit. However these days I tend to use the juice extractor I bought to go over my pasturiser. Now that really is easy!

Juice extractor??? Ha! I've got one of those- I'll give it a bash next time!

[Printemps]

A little late to this thread, but may I throw in my tuppence worth as far as making jellies go . . . . .

This afternoon I made another batch of quince jelly, the fourth this week and as usual it is crystal clear with its fabulous crimson colour - yet I always squeeze the pulp to extract more juice than would otherwise appear through gravity alone! Of course there is a caveat and that is I ensure the resultant juice is re-filtered, which takes no time at all.



I never use muslin for the filter 'bag', preferring to use cotton or linen tea towels - but not the fluffy or thick ones. I pre-wet the tea towel, squeezing out the excess water, then I lay it in my largest mixing bowl. The cooked fruit - whatever it is - is pulped with a potato masher then tipped onto the tea towel. I cut a length of string about 30-40cms in length, gather up the four corners and tie them up with one end of the string, then suspend the 'bag' above the mixing bowl with the other end of the string by wrapping it around the door handle of a wall mounted cupboard. The majority of the juice will filter through quite quickly. When cool enough to handle, I then squeeze the tea towel to extract all the remaining juice, which is always a considerable amount.
Lastly, I take a fresh tea towel, pre-wet as before, then re-filter the extracted juice to ensure it is pulp free.

I have made crystal clear jellies this way for over 30 years.

[lettucegrow!]

Love making jellies. Made hedgerow jelly with elderberries, sloes and apples. It came out a lovely dark colour. I always cover the fruit with water then measure the liquid once drained. I think it's a pound if sugar to a pint of water.

[Noosner]

Made my first jelly today - blackberry - but it ain't set! I think I did it all correctly - added just enough water to cover the fruit, simmered it for an hour with some lemon juice, strained it in a cheesecloth, then boiled the juice up again with preserving sugar, 1lb to 1 pint.

The only thing was I wasn't sure how long to boil it for. One recipe said simmer for 10-15 mins, another said simmer for an hour! I did about 40 mins I think.

Should I just boil it all up again do you think? Do I need to add anything else to help it set? Any advice gratefully accepted.

[greenishfing]

Made my first jelly today - blackberry - but it ain't set! I think I did it all correctly - added just enough water to cover the fruit, simmered it for an hour with some lemon juice, strained it in a cheesecloth, then boiled the juice up again with preserving sugar, 1lb to 1 pint.

The only thing was I wasn't sure how long to boil it for. One recipe said simmer for 10-15 mins, another said simmer for an hour! I did about 40 mins I think.

Should I just boil it all up again do you think? Do I need to add anything else to help it set? Any advice gratefully accepted.

If I am making blackberry jelly I don't cover the fruit with water. I only add ¾ pint water and 2 tablespoons lemon juice to every 4 pounds of fruit. As soon as the fruit starts to get hot the juice pours out of it and all the hard bits are covered. I usually boil for a good half hour. After I have put it through the jelly bag I add 1 pound of granulated sugar for every pint of liquid.

If I am making blackberry and apple I add 1 pint of water to every 4 pounds of fruit and omit the lemon juice.

If you have used lots more water than me I'd boil it up again to evaporate more off and test for a set every 5 minutes or so.

[teakdesk]

Made my first jelly today - blackberry - but it ain't set! I think I did it all correctly - added just enough water to cover the fruit, simmered it for an hour with some lemon juice, strained it in a cheesecloth, then boiled the juice up again with preserving sugar, 1lb to 1 pint.

The only thing was I wasn't sure how long to boil it for. One recipe said simmer for 10-15 mins, another said simmer for an hour! I did about 40 mins I think.

Should I just boil it all up again do you think? Do I need to add anything else to help it set? Any advice gratefully accepted.

Forgive my ignorance, are we talking jelly as in jam that is "over-set" or jelly as in kids party tea?


If you mean a jar of jellified juice, similar to jam, then I use a bottle of pectin rather than preserving sugar. Blackberries are very low in pectin and need extra. I also use a whole lemon (zested, juiced, pith scraped into the pan and then the remaining halves also added to the pan while boiling) and strain the juice after a boil before the setting.


For kids jelly, I have used gelatin added to juice.


Edit: if I'm making blackberry jam I use preserving sugar at same weight to blackberries, zest, pith and juice of one lemon for each 300g of fruit. No added water.

My definition of jam/jelly/kids jelly may not be standard though! I'm intrigued to know what others call the different preparations!

[Dorothy rouse]

Made my first jelly today - blackberry - but it ain't set! I think I did it all correctly - added just enough water to cover the fruit, simmered it for an hour with some lemon juice, strained it in a cheesecloth, then boiled the juice up again with preserving sugar, 1lb to 1 pint.

The only thing was I wasn't sure how long to boil it for. One recipe said simmer for 10-15 mins, another said simmer for an hour! I did about 40 mins I think.

Should I just boil it all up again do you think? Do I need to add anything else to help it set? Any advice gratefully accepted.

I thought mine (redcurrant ) hadn't set, but in fact it had, just took abit longer than I expected, so I'd check tomorrow just to be sure. I just used granulated sugar and 1lb to a pint just as you did.

[Noosner]

Thanks very much for your advice, everyone. I have just boiled it all up again - I think there was too much liquid, but also I think the recipe that said 'just simmer' was wrong and that it needed to reach a rolling boil for a while the way you usually have to for jam.

Anyway, after ten mins at a rolling boil, it passed the wrinkle test! And there are now only one and a half jars of it rather than two.

It's possible it may have set if I'd left it overnight, Dotty R. Though I looked up redcurrants and it seems they have more pectin than blackberries.

Will defo try the idea of putting the whole lemon in next time.

It is a wonderful deep clear colour! I now have some rhubarb on the go as I like the idea of a translucent pink jelly too.

[Scarlet]

I dont use pectin or preserving sugar either. 1 pint of juice to 1lb granulated sugar. As Dorothy has said the jelly often firms up over night so don't start again just yet. If you find it hasn't set I'd be tempted to boil up a few apples and add that juice and equivalent sugar to your blackberry jelly. Apples set well and it really doesn't affect the taste.

If you reboil you will 'lose' quite a bit....

[Scarlet]

Rhubarb and gooseberries make a lovely alternative to lemons in a curd

[Noosner]

Rhubarb and gooseberries make a lovely alternative to lemons in a curd

Do you mean rhubarb and gooseberries mixed, S? I have never tried making a curd.

[Scarlet]

No sorry, separate! I'll post a recipe in a bit...

[Scarlet]

Gooseberry Curd

2 lb Gooseberries ( or rhubarb)
150 ml Water (approx - you need a thick pulp so add slowly)

No need to top and tail.
Simmer berries with water until a thick puree.
Rub through a nylon sieve.

To each pint of pulp:
4oz butter
1 lb Sugar -castor
3 large eggs ( or 6 egg yolks if you want meringue to go with it!)

Put puree, butter and sugar into the top of a double saucepan or large basin over hot water and heat gently until butter and sugar has melted.
Whisk the eggs and add to the puree. The mix should not be boiling hot or you will end up with scrambled eggs!
Cook slowly, stirring often until mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon.
spoon into hot jars and seal.

I've posted this before, I use it for cake filling, tarts, meringues as well as toast. It's not cheap to make if you haven't got chickens but you really can't compare it to the acid yellow stuff that they sell in the shops. I use frozen fruit to make it too, just use a little less water.

[Noosner]

Gooseberry Curd

2 lb Gooseberries ( or rhubarb)
150 ml Water (approx - you need a thick pulp so add slowly)

No need to top and tail.
Simmer berries with water until a thick puree.
Rub through a nylon sieve.

To each pint of pulp:
4oz butter
1 lb Sugar -castor
3 large eggs ( or 6 egg yolks if you want meringue to go with it!)

Put puree, butter and sugar into the top of a double saucepan or large basin over hot water and heat gently until butter and sugar has melted.
Whisk the eggs and add to the puree. The mix should not be boiling hot or you will end up with scrambled eggs!
Cook slowly, stirring often until mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon.
spoon into hot jars and seal.

I've posted this before, I use it for cake filling, tarts, meringues as well as toast. It's not cheap to make if you haven't got chickens but you really can't compare it to the acid yellow stuff that they sell in the shops. I use frozen fruit to make it too, just use a little less water.

Scarlet, this sounds delicious! I am definitely going to give it a go with the next crop of rhubarb.