Redcurrant Jelly
This recipe is taken from Mrs. Beeton’s “All about Cookery” with the appendage “rich”. The amount of sugar required is determined by the amount of juice obtained from the redcurrants: 1¼ lb of sugar to each pint or very conveniently, 1 Kg to each litre. A mushroom tray of redcurrants produced just over 2 pints of juice making 6 jars of jelly. Jam sugar is available in Waitrose in 1Kg bags.
Ingredients
• Redcurrants
• Jam sugar
Method
Remove the leaves and only the larger stems. Place the cleaned fruit in a preserving pan, without any water, and heat very gently until the currants are softened and well cooked (about 45 minutes). Mash, then strain through a scalded jelly bag, leaving it to drip undisturbed. Measure the juice into the cleaned pan. Add 1¼lb of sugar to each pint of juice. bring to the boil, stirring constantly, and boil, without stirring, for 1 minute. Swiftly skim the jelly and immediately pour it into warmed jars, before it has a chance to set in the pan.
Tip
This recipe produces a firm set jelly, perfect for adding sweetness and flavour to gravies, especially for lamb.