The Cottage Smallholder

Thanks Fiona

Will give that a try on my next batch of jam - into chutneys at the moment....

New forum looks great. Have visited your site as a guest many times but have now become member and looking forward to exchanging ideas etc with others.

Maureen

Hi David

Made Hedgerow Jam this year which I am sure you could adapt for jelly. It had a fantastic flavour. Comes from the WI recipe book for Jams, Pickles and Chutneys. I couldn't get rowan berries but did use sloes, blackberries and cooking apples (as substitute for crab apples). Sure you could use any combination of hedgerow fruit. Recipe as follows:

8oz rose hips
8oz haws
8oz rowan berries
8oz sloes
1lb crab apples (or cooking apples)
1lb blackberries
1lb elderberries
4oz hazelnuts, chopped
2lb sugar plus equivalent to weight of sieved liquid

1. Wash and clean all fruit well. Put rose hips, haws, rowan berries, sloes and apples in large preserving pan and add water to cover. Cook until fruit is tender – about 1 hour.
2. Sieve the fruits and weigh the resulting liquid. Put liquid back into preserving pan and add blackberries, elderberries and chopped nuts. Simmer for about 15 minutes.
3. Add the 2lb sugar plus as much extra sugar as the weight of the sieved liquid. Cook over a low heat to dissolve the sugar and then boil rapidly until setting point is reached. Remove any scum.
4. Pour into sterilised jars, seal and label.

Makes about 5lb.

I used varying amounts of the above fruit but with the same total weight of 5lb fruit

If making a jelly would suggest taking to end of Stage 1, then add the blackberries and elderberries,(omitting the nuts?) for further 15 minutes simmering. Then strain through muslin or jelly bag. Add 1lb sugar to each pint of juice and heat gently until sugar dissolved. Then boil rapidly until setting point is reached. Pot and seal.

Good luck and let us know what you decide to make and how it turns out.

Maureen