CRAB APPLE JELLY WON,T SET

[cjw]

HI ALL

my crab apple jelly won,t set just wonderd if anybody know.s why or give me advise please

 

cjw

[JJaxeman]

Can't offer any info on the others, but if you do have a crab apple tree, get the wife to turn them into jam.

 

Best jam on the breakfast table with strong coffee and toast

 

LB

 

As my Learned Brethren has already said, crab apple jam/jelly with well done toast and salty butter really is one of life's true pleasures. Especially as with very little finesse one can produce an excellent jam in very little time.

 

Henry D has mentioned the strong setting properties, and it is worth noting that crab apple jam is so easy to make because it doesn't require special jam sugar or fannying around with additional pectin or boiling for hours at a time. The only special kit you need is a jelly bag, but you can make do with some muslin or even a boiled cotton cloth/tea towel, and a jam funnel, which will greatly assist you in the potting up. Waxed discs are handy but not essential (they stop a skin forming on the top of the jelly)

 

As with all male cookery projects, preparation is essential - get your stand for your jelly bag set up well in advance of actually needing it, get the oven on for the jam jars and the jars (thoroughly washed and dried) in before you start to cook the jam

 

My method:-

 

• Collect your crab apples, as many as will about fit in your biggest saucepan/stockpot

• Wash them and discard any rough (mouldy or half-eaten) ones, don't worry about the occasional stalk

• Cut them in half if they are date-sized or smaller, or into quarters if they are much bigger

• Pack them into your saucepan and barely cover them with cold water

• Bring slowly to the boil and simmer for an hour, stir occasionally to stop any sticking

• Allow to cool

• Pour into a jelly bag/your boiled cloth, suspended over a large bowl

• Allow to drip through overnight - for a clear preserve rely on gravity, if you're not fussed (and want more flavour), give it a squeeze for a more cloudy preserve

• Measure the volume of liquid and add a pound of sugar to every pint of liquid - I use unrefined sugar which is slightly less sweet than white sugar and also imparts a bit of caramel colour to the jelly

• Pour the juice/sugar mixture into your large saucepan and bring to the boil slowly (this will ensure the sugar dissolves effectively)

• Bring to a rolling boil and boil for 10 minutes, stirring continuously

• Pot up into clean, hot jam jars, cover the surface of the jelly with a waxed disc and put the lid on

• When completly cool, label the jars and admire your free(ish) treats

 

An enthusiastic guide can be found here

 

Regards,

 

LS

 

I made some last week using above recipie and worked fine set in about 90 minutes what recipie did you sue

Edited September 25, 2008 by JJaxeman

[cjw]

Can't offer any info on the others, but if you do have a crab apple tree, get the wife to turn them into jam.

 

Best jam on the breakfast table with strong coffee and toast

 

LB

 

As my Learned Brethren has already said, crab apple jam/jelly with well done toast and salty butter really is one of life's true pleasures. Especially as with very little finesse one can produce an excellent jam in very little time.

 

Henry D has mentioned the strong setting properties, and it is worth noting that crab apple jam is so easy to make because it doesn't require special jam sugar or fannying around with additional pectin or boiling for hours at a time. The only special kit you need is a jelly bag, but you can make do with some muslin or even a boiled cotton cloth/tea towel, and a jam funnel, which will greatly assist you in the potting up. Waxed discs are handy but not essential (they stop a skin forming on the top of the jelly)

 

As with all male cookery projects, preparation is essential - get your stand for your jelly bag set up well in advance of actually needing it, get the oven on for the jam jars and the jars (thoroughly washed and dried) in before you start to cook the jam

 

My method:-

 

• Collect your crab apples, as many as will about fit in your biggest saucepan/stockpot

• Wash them and discard any rough (mouldy or half-eaten) ones, don't worry about the occasional stalk

• Cut them in half if they are date-sized or smaller, or into quarters if they are much bigger

• Pack them into your saucepan and barely cover them with cold water

• Bring slowly to the boil and simmer for an hour, stir occasionally to stop any sticking

• Allow to cool

• Pour into a jelly bag/your boiled cloth, suspended over a large bowl

• Allow to drip through overnight - for a clear preserve rely on gravity, if you're not fussed (and want more flavour), give it a squeeze for a more cloudy preserve

• Measure the volume of liquid and add a pound of sugar to every pint of liquid - I use unrefined sugar which is slightly less sweet than white sugar and also imparts a bit of caramel colour to the jelly

• Pour the juice/sugar mixture into your large saucepan and bring to the boil slowly (this will ensure the sugar dissolves effectively)

• Bring to a rolling boil and boil for 10 minutes, stirring continuously

• Pot up into clean, hot jam jars, cover the surface of the jelly with a waxed disc and put the lid on

• When completly cool, label the jars and admire your free(ish) treats

 

An enthusiastic guide can be found here

 

Regards,

 

LS

 

I made some last week using above recipie and worked fine set in about 90 minutes what recipie did you sue

 

same one you did but still not set after 4 hours

 

cjw

[henry d]

If you boil it too long it will not set as you have destroyed the pectin. Most apple jellies take 15-20 minutes and is easily seen if you watch for it as the "rolling boil" changes. I test for set every 4-5 minutes using the cold plate method.

[Jan147]

i made crab apple and rown berry jelly two years ago and found it the hardest thing to set.

 

Too ages and then it just got to the setting point. You could simmer it and add some pectic sugar and see if this helps to get a set. When i did it it just set suddenly and I had done nothing different. I have a jam making thermometer and found this helped to get the right temperature.

[palombier]

Jan

 

Why not try adding some gelatin,jelly or additional pectin or a combination of these.

 

 

P

[lord_seagrave]

I have a jam making thermometer and found this helped to get the right temperature.

 

In spite of my, and others, rather glib attitude to jam-making - there is something to be said for the appliance of science here. I have never used a jam thermometer, but others swear by it. My own method is to keep a couple of saucers in the fridge so that you can quick check the set as and when you think you're there.

 

In terms of look and feel, bring your juice/sugar mixture SLOWLY to the boil (this ensures the sugar is dissolved fully, and the temperature of the liquid increases evenly),then once it boils increase the heat and get it rolling fiercely. This is why it is quite important to use a heavy-based saucepan to distribute and retain the heat, and to prevent sticking.

 

All the best,

 

D.

[lord_seagrave]

I test for set every 4-5 minutes using the cold plate method.

 

Sorry, I didn't spot that HD.

 

Yes, some cold plates or saucers (or a marble slab) are ideal. Drop a scant teaspoon'swth of the hot jam onto the plate and push the resulting blob with your finger. The jelly should have formed a skin and it will noticably wrinkle when pushed. This is when it's ready to pot up - remove the pan from the heat straight away.

 

 

LS

[Jan147]

i make my jam in a brass jam pan that belonged to my mum.

 

even when I did the saucer test I had found the crab apple hard to get a set. Maybe it is because it is so acidic?

[lord_seagrave]

i make my jam in a brass jam pan that belonged to my mum.

 

even when I did the saucer test I had found the crab apple hard to get a set. Maybe it is because it is so acidic?

 

It sounds as though your method and equipment are good, so perhaps it is the raw ingredients that are proving difficult. Hold on for a couple of weeks and try again, the crab apples may have ripened further and you may stand a better chance.

 

However, the pectin content does decrease as the fruit ripens.

 

I'd be interested to hear how you get on. I've got my eye on the butterball tree in a garden I know - that might get the treatment next weekend, so I'll try and do an illustrated post.

 

Best of luck,

 

LS