Jelly Roll Jamming

So I just spent the morning making jelly.
It probably calls for a tune.
But this more of a cool lesson. But not on that kind of jelly.



I have a peach tree in the yard. And I don't know much about jam making. I get by.
In previous years I've shared that we were making peach cobblers or peach jam. This year we made 24 jars -so far-of our Peach Raspberry Blush jam.
My mother took the lead on that making because she really is the canner in the house. When I was young my mom canned our food from what Dad grew-green beans, tomatoes, pickles, relishes, jams and jellies among many things I took for granted. And can't get right when I try to do it now. I'd like to make cucumbers into pickles using those tiny Persian ones from Trader Joes though. I'd like to take my basil and can pesto but I'm learning you have to freeze it. Bummer. But I may do that tomorrow. Need to go to get this and that. I intend to do that over this next week.



If I can figure it out but I need to get pine nuts. Ok, talking outloud. It's summer.
The recipe for this jam came off the net we think. Sorry I'm not better at giving the attribute, it really was an accident and I lost it. It's been three or so years ago.
But she modified it slightly. Left out almond extract.

Peach Raspberry Blush Jam

2 cups crushed peaches
2 cups red raspberries crushed
1/4 cup lemon juice
7 cups sugar
8 ounces liquid pectin

Peel, pit, crush peaches add 2 T lemon juice. Let stand while getting your raspberries fixed and ready. Crush raspberries and add remaining 2 T lemon juice. Combine peaches and raspberries with sugar in a heavy kettle. (warning it can get hard to tip if too heavy) Mix well and bring just to a boil. Boil hard one minute. Remove from heat, add pectin.
Stir well, skim off foam.
Pour in clean, sterilized jars.
Process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.


So then I had these apples on my apple tree, today, which incidentally the yard guys stole most of my fruit and I'm FURIOUS, but I had enough to try this jelly. I learned a lot today about screwing up jelly really.

But I took about 8 apples, chopped them up with peels and all, and started apple jellies-you need the juice. I suppose the secret is all in the apples. Now I have to be honest. This apple jelly is kicking me in the behind because it's been too thin, too thick all day.
And I'm fearing one is not setting up enough. Another is too thick.

I made an Apple Rosemary and an Apple Cinnamon Brandy.

The basic recipe I took from this blog. I frankly had to add a cup more sugar and reboil it.I think I might even have to reboil my Apple Cinnamon again, but it's cooling and I'm going to see if it's too thin. If I had to do this again would not just use the apples from my strange Red Delicious tree. I'd make a trip to the store buying a couple of several different apples to add in. Better flavor.
And then what I did after cutting was cook with 5 cups water and drain through cheesecloth. This left me with 5 cups of liquid for two pots. Personally I think I might like to try Apple Rhubarb next.... Anyway I added 4 to 5 cups sugar to each pot and 1/4 cup lemon juice. I added the 8 oz. pectin and boiled. For a minute.
But....to one batch I added cinnamon and some brandy, the other got rosemary sprigs from my garden, mint, and some amaretto.


Right now I'm just watching them cool trying to decide what else we might can.
Truthfully I really would like to have some cans stored away to use, give, so on.
It's not that we eat that much jelly, but with various breads that we bake- it's nice. With the biscuits. I'm really fond of the apple rosemary flavor, but it got super panned by the family. It's lovely however. I'm not sure why they seem so repulsed.
I used Certo in the apple, it was just too thin. Now I regret it because I think it's too much. Yikes, thick , thin, jelly is stressful. I guess I'm learning. If I had it to do again....

Just press on.

There is only so much jam these guys will tolerate, but maybe I'll make something with apricots.





See my Mrs. Puglisi's 100 National Standards