Fruit for preserving should be sound and free from all defects, using
white sugar, and also that which is dry, which produces the nicest
syrup; dark sugar can be used by being clarified, which is done by
dissolving two pounds of sugar in a pint of water; add to it the white
of an egg and beat it well, put it into a preserving kettle on the
fire and stir with a wooden spoon. As soon as it begins to swell and
boil up, throw in a little cold water; let it boil up again, take it
off and remove the scum; boil it again, throw in more cold water and
remove the scum; repeat until it is clear and pours like oil from the
spoon.
In the old way of preserving, we used pound for pound, when they were
kept in stone jars or crocks; now, as most preserves are put up in
sealed jars or cans, less sugar seems sufficient; three-quarters of a
pound of sugar is generally all that is required for a pound of fruit.
Fruit should be boiled in a porcelain-lined or granite-ware dish, if
possible; but other utensils, copper or metal, if made bright and
clean, answer as well.
Any of the fruits that have been preserved in syrup may be converted
into dry preserves, by first draining them from the syrup, and then
drying them in a stove or very moderate oven, adding to them a
quantity of powdered loaf sugar, which will gradually penetrate the
fruit, while the fluid parts of the syrup gently evaporate. They
should be dried in the stove or oven on a sieve, and turned every six
or eight hours, fresh powdered sugar being sifted over them every time
they are turned. Afterwards they are to be kept in a dry situation, in
drawers or boxes. Currants and cherries preserved whole in this
manner, in bunches, are extremely elegant and have a fine flavor. In
this way it is, also, that orange and lemon chips are preserved.
Mold can be prevented from forming on fruit jellies by pouring a
little melted paraffine over the top. When cool, it will harden to a
solid cake, winch can be easily removed when the jelly is used, and
saved to use over again another year. It is perfectly harmless and
tasteless.
Large glass tumblers are the best for keeping jellies, much better
than large vessels, for by being opened frequently they soon spoil; a
paper should be cut to fit and placed over the jelly; then put on the
lid or cover, with thick paper rubbed over on the inside with the
white of an egg.
There cannot be too much care taken in selecting fruit for jellies,
for if the fruit is over ripe, any amount of time in boiling will
never make it jelly--there is where so many fail in making good jelly;
and another important matter is overlooked--that of carefully skimming
off the juice after it begins to boil and a scum rises from the bottom
to the top; the juice should not be stirred, but the scum carefully
taken off; if allowed to boil under, the jelly will not be clear.
When either preserves or canned fruits show any indications of
fermentation, they should be immediately re-boiled with more sugar, to
save them. It is much better to be generous with the sugar at first
than to have any losses afterwards. Keep all preserves in a cool, dry
closet.