The Preserver's Year

ampersand

I find I have 4.2l of strained juice, but I'm concerned re: sugar quantity.
Original recipe requires 750gm apx where 1.75k of apples/1,75l water were used.

Adding 500gms sugar to each 600 ml of strained juice[the general jelly recipe]seems high.

Should I really add 3.5kg sugar?

Last year's worked beautifully, but they weren't the same apples and I haven't a clue what ratio I used then. Winged it as now, probably...:o.

Merci millefois for any thoughts.

ampersand

kirstygem wrote: »

Hi I am planning to make my first ever jams and chutneys for Christmas presents and am wondering if anyone can recommend the cheapest place to buy my empty jars. Thanks, sure I will be back on with more queries when start making!!

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First thing kirstygem - and be assured your lovely presents will be received as Very Special Gifts by everyone lucky enough to receive them - is just to put the word out among all and sundry that you need their jars, especially with screwtop lids still present.

PLEASE DON'T BUY ANY.

Next, I have gone to a Seniors' Drop-in place in Newmarket and left a donation for their used jamjars. They go through a lot. You're sure to have similar organisations you can approach.

Good luck! - and keep us posted. You'll have all the help and encouragement you'll ever need here.:)
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I prefer to seal my efforts with liquid paraffin wax which I find easily and cheaply in France, but not here. Otherwise, wax paper rounds will do, which I cut from a roll, as I've often run out of all else.

annie123

Just been given 40 plus pears by a neighbour, he has no idea what type they are, said he and his wife collected too many from weekend foraging near her mums.
I already have assorted frozen pear pie/desserts, so any ideas what I can do with them please?

Winged_one

I have been offered a load of yellow plums, which I expect to get later this week. I have just made 4 pots of damson jam from foraging near MIL.

Any ideas? (And I can't freeze many as the freezer is close to bursting at present).

floyd

I made this on Monday last week with yellow plums and its very good

http://www.cottagesmallholder.com/cottage-smallholder-plum-chutney-recipe-70

a_sav

Went blackberrying yesterday (in the drizzle) now proudly cooling off blackberry & strawberry jam, quite chuffed as the boys said its like the m&s hedgegrow jam

Steel_2

I've been making jam and lemon curd like crazy this afternoon and halfway through a batch opened up a new pack of jam jar covers. these are the Kitchenaid ones that come with waxed circles, plastic covers, bands and stickers.

Normally I wipe over the back of the plastic circles with a piece of wet kitchen towel and then slap it onto the hot jam filled jars. The heat makes it a bit stretchy and I can give it a little tug down over the jar nicely and it stays into position while I put on the elastic band.

Well, the new pack of plastic circles are rubbish! I can't get a seal. They're a completely different type of plastic and just sit there all stiff and don't stretch over. It's similar to the stuff that gift baskets are wrapped in.

Anyone else experienced this? Is there something special I have to do with these new types of plastic circle?

I'm really peeved as I've got two packs of these.

Edited to add: even weirder. I've had all the circles out of both packs and around a third of each pack are this stiff gift-wrap type plastic and the other half are the normal stuff.

LittleGem

Hi guys,
i am a jam making newbie, so far I've tried raspberry jam and strawberry jam and both worked out ok, but I went blackberry picking today and would like to try making blackberry and apple jam. Now I only have eating apples in at the moment and don't really want to buy apples for my free jam , but will regular apples be ok? If I use them will I need to add lemon juice?
Thanks in advance!
Gem

katholicos

LittleGem wrote: »

Hi guys,
i am a jam making newbie, so far I've tried raspberry jam and strawberry jam and both worked out ok, but I went blackberry picking today and would like to try making blackberry and apple jam. Now I only have eating apples in at the moment and don't really want to buy apples for my free jam , but will regular apples be ok? If I use them will I need to add lemon juice?
Thanks in advance!
Gem

I use apples from foraging or eating apples that i already have in the kitchen. I usually add a squirt of lemon juice. Well done on the blackberrying!

LittleGem

Thanks Katholicos, I think I'll give it a go tonight!
I'll be so chuffed if it works!