I have made it my mission today to make a range of fruit jellies. I have so many requests for spreads that don’t contain pips, seeds or skins by people who have diverticular disease or similar, or even people who have false teeth – truly.
Quite apart from any dietary or dental considerations, jellies are outstandingly tasty. The yield is not so good as jam obviously, but the flavours are instensified. They are delicious on scones with whipped cream and a gravy or jus or a casserole style dish is much enhanced by the addition of a very small amount.
Owing to the generosity of friends and their giving me fruit from their gardens, I’m able today to make raspberry jelly, blackcurrant, crabapple, blackberry and plum.
One thing to remember is not to try to make your jelly in huge batches. I make batches of no more than 6 cups of the fruit liquid plus sugar.
Making jelly is really simple. Just put the fruit in a large saucepan and barely cover with water. Bring to the boil and simmer until the fruit is really soft, then pour the mixture through a colander, capturing the juice underneath. Pour this liquid through a sieve lined with 2 thicknesses of muslin or a thin cloth.
To each cup of the resulting liquid, add one cup of sugar. Put back on the heat, bring to the boil, stirring and then cook over medium heat until the settng point is reached. This will depend on the fruit – anything from 12 minutes to 30.
To test for set place 2 teaspoons of the hot mixture on a cold saucer, place in fridge for a few minutes. Run your finger through the cold jelly; if the surface is quite firm and wrinkles when you pull your finger through it, the jelly has reached setting point.
Pour into warm sterilised jars and seal immediately.
(To sterilise the jars, wash in hot soapy water, rinse and place upside down on a clean cloth or dish drainer to drain. Place on a tray in a cold oven. Turn oven to 110°C . When the oven reaches this temperature, turn off the heat and leave the bottles for 10 minutes. To make sure lids are sterile, wash and dry. When lid is placed on jar of hot jelly, turn briefly upside down – the heat of the jelly will sterilise the lid)
Store in a cool, dry, dark place
sallywise.com.au 
Hello Sally,
I am hugely enjoying your book ‘A Year on the Farm.’ However there is no quantity given for the very significant sugar ingredient for herb jelly on page 276, reducing my efforts to Apple and mint jelly on page 13. I need to sort mint that is galloping due to a leaking hose and to crop some thyme before it flowers. Can you help sort the domestic crisis inspired by your book? Warm Regards, Louise
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Hi Louise – the reason the specific amount of sugar is not given is that it is dependent on the amount of liquid that results from the boiling up of the apples and water. However, there is a glitch in the recipe in that the vinegar should be added with the water and apples. Big apologies for that. It’s kind of obvious but could be confusing. SO, here’s how it goes – place the apples, water and vinegar in a pot and bring to the boil, simmer until the apples are soft, then strain through a fine sieve. To each 600ml of the resulting liquid, add 500g sugar. Bring to the boil, stirring, and boil briskly until setting point is reached.
Regards
Sally
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Hi Sally
Do you happen to have a ginger jam recipe? I would love to make my own rather than buy it.
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No I don’t sorry, at least not an exact one. The best way is to make a lemon marmalade and add some grated fresh green ginger (not too much I’ve found), and at the end, or close to it, add some chopped preserved ginger.
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Hi Sally. Do you think we could use your standard jelly recipe with Jelly Palm fruit? Thanks. Andrew
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Yes, you could indeed – you would need to add lemon juice – 2 tablespoons to each kilo of fruit.
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I have been trying to make a dessert jelly from fresh fruit but they seem to be very sweet.The recipe I used had cornflour in it which seems to work.The ratio of fruit was 1lb. of fruit and1/2 lb of sugar.Have you got any suggestions as to adjustments I can make so that they don,t taste like you are eating jam.?
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