Mrs Beetons Jams and Preserves Revisited
Gooseberry Jam
Red Gooseberries
To every 450g (1lb) of Fruit allow:
340g (12oz) Sugar
Currant Juice
Select red hairy gooseberries, gathered in dry weather, when quite ripe, without being too soft.
Weigh them.
Top and tail the gooseberries.
Add 285ml (½ pint) of redcurrant juice (drawn as for jelly), to each 2.7kg (6lb) of fruit.
Put the gooseberries and currant juice into a preserving pan.
Boil tolerably quickly, keeping them well stirred.
When they begin to break, add sugar and keep simmering until the jam becomes firm, carefully skimming and stirring so that it does not burn at the bottom.
It should be boiled rather a long time or it will not keep.
Put it into sterilised jars (not too large).
Let it cool and cover with airtight lids.
Store in a dry place.
Time: About 1 hour to boil the gooseberries in the currant juice, from 30 to 45 minutes with the sugar.
Sufficient: Allow 900ml (1½ pints) of fruit for a 450g (1lb) pot.
Seasonable: Make this in June or July.
GOOSEBERRY JAM
1547. INGREDIENTS - To every lb. of fruit allow 3/4 lb. of loaf sugar; currant-juice.
Mode - Select red hairy gooseberries; have them gathered in dry weather, when quite ripe, without being too soft. Weigh them; with a pair of scissors, cut off the tops and tails, and to every 6 lbs. of fruit have ready 1/2 pint of red-currant juice, drawn as for jelly. Put the gooseberries and currant-juice into a preserving-pan; let them boil tolerably quickly, keeping them well stirred; when they begin to break, add to them the sugar, and keep simmering until the jam becomes firm, carefully skimming: and stirring it, that it does not burn at the bottom. It should be boiled rather a long time, or it will not keep. Put it into pots (not too large); let it get perfectly cold; then cover the pots down with oiled and egged papers, as directed for red-currant jelly No. 1533.
Time - About 1 hour to boil the gooseberries in the currant-juice; from 1/2 to 3/4 hour with the sugar.
Average cost, per lb. pot, from 6d. to 8d.
Sufficient - Allow 1-1/2 pint of fruit for a lb. pot.
Seasonable - Make this in June or July.
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