Fruit recipes

Cook berries till soft and clear, then cook with syrup as for Cranberry Syrup, mashing berries; straining and returning to fire to cook again before bottling. This syrup may be used for ices, puddings, etc., or combined, as is currant or cranberry or lemon juice, with other fruits for jellies, pies, or other “‘dishes.’’ With raisins, pears, figs, or apples it is particularly good for tarts. RED CURRANT JELLY No. 1 Pick the fruit on a dry day before the currants are quite ripe, Stem them and scald over boiling water (in an inner vessel), then let the currants remain an hour over a moderate fire. Pour into a jelly bag without crushing and let drip over night. Place juice in preserving kettle and let boil ten minutes. Skim, and when just at a boil stir in the sugar, having measured the cold juice and allowing for each full pint one and one-fourth pounds sugar (heated). This should jell by the time sugar is dissolved, requiring never more than five minutes. Let stand in sun several days. WHITE CURRANT JELLY Make by above method. BLACK CURRANT JELLY Black Currant Jelly may be made as above with the exception of adding a little water to the fruit when first put on, otherwise the syrup would be too thick. RED CURRANT JELLY No. 2 (Without Cooking) Crush currants without stemming and squeeze through a coarse cloth. Weigh, instead of measuring juice, and allow a pound of sugar for each pound of juice. Stir together with the hand till sugar is smoothly dissolved. Place in glasses and let stand in window where hot sunlight may shine on them through glass for at least five days. Cover and keep in cool, dry place. BAR-LE-DUC (Imitation of the Imported Jam or Jelly) 1. Add one-fifth part of currants (by weight) to red raspberries. Crush and strain currants and weigh again, this time with the raspberries, fruit separated by paper. Add three-quarters pound of sugar for each pound of the second weighing of fruit and juice and simmer, then boil— skimming—for twenty-five minutes, when add the raspberries (uncrushed) and boil until the juice jells (in about fifteen minutes), then remove and seal well while hot. 2. Boil together five minutes two-thirds measure of sugar (as two pints) to one of cold _ water. Measure the syrup resulting and when again boiling add to it equal measure of strained red or white currant juice. When this jells add seeded garden currants which have been carefully opened with fine sharp wooden blade ora quill. Ifthe measure of syrup is one pint add one pint currants; if a quart, then a quart of currants and so on. Let boil up once when remove; pour into jars and set (uncovered) in a dark, dry, and cool place for five or six days, then seal. The currant juice is sometimes omitted, only the sugar syrup and fruit used. The currants, if red, should be pale in colour. RED CURRANT JAM Wash, stem, and weigh currants, allowing equal weight of sugar, adding it when fruit has been boiling three minutes. When dissolved and at boiling point remove and place in jars. To make a darker, thicker jam boil sugar and fruit together an hour. BLACK CURRANT JAM Make as above but cook fifteen minutes before adding sugar, then fifteen minutes before removing, stirring all the while. CURRANT RAISIN JAM Wash, drain, seed, and chop two pounds Muscatel raisins and place in preserving kettle. Meanwhile have ready, washed and stemmed, sufficient white currants to make three quarts of juice when mashed and strained. Add to this three pounds of sugar and stir the sweetened juice into the raisins. Mix well and let slowly come to a boil, skimming and stirring till it is thick and smooth. Let cool; place in jars and seal. SPICED CURRANTS