Elderberry and Apple Jelly

Serves	1.5kgs
Prep time	24 hours, 30 minutes
Cook time	15 minutes
Total time	24 hours, 45 minutes
Dietary	Vegetarian
Meal type	Breakfast, Condiment, Side Dish, Snack
Misc	Pre-preparable, Serve Cold
Occasion	Casual Party, Christmas, Formal Party, Halloween, Thanksgiving
Region	British
By author	Karen S Burns-Booth

A fabulous seasonal preserve, Elderberry and Apple Jelly, makes use of the hedgerow harvest and is perfect on toast as well as a base for savoury sauces for game and meat.

Ingredients

900g (2lbs) elderberries
900g (2lbs) cooking apples, chopped, no need to core or peel
180mls water
2 lemons, juice of
500g granulated cane sugar (approximately – depends on juice yield)

Note

A fabulous seasonal preserve, Elderberry and Apple Jelly, makes use of the hedgerow harvest and is perfect on toast as well as a base for savoury sauces for game and meat.

Directions

Step 1	Gently wash the elderberries in a sink of cold water. Pull the berries off the stems and place them in a saucepan with the chopped apples
Step 2	Add the water, and then bring the fruit to the boil, then cover and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the apples and berries are tender.
Step 3	Spoon the fruit into a jelly bag, suspended over a large bowl, and leave to drip overnight.
Step 4	When you are ready to make the jelly, discard the fruit pulp and measure the fruit juice, then weight the sugar; you will need 450g sugar to every 550mls of juice.
Step 5	Place the elderberry and apple juice into a large preserving pan and heat gently. Meanwhile, heat the sugar in a low oven and then add the warmed (NOT hot) fruit juice with the lemon juice. Dissolve the sugar over a low heat and then when the sugar has dissolved, bring to a rapid boil and boil vigorously until the setting point has been reached.
Step 6	Remove the jelly from the heat as soon as setting point has been reached. Skim of any scum with a slotted spoon and then pour the hot jelly into warm, sterile jam jars. Cover with a disc of waxed paper, wax side down, and then cover with cellophane covers that are secured with an elastic band, or clean screw tops.
Step 7	Label when cold and store in a cool, dark place.
Step 8	NB: Setting point: I use the cold saucer method to check setting point – place 2 or 3 saucers in the freezer and then take the jelly off the heat when you want to check that setting point has been reached. Spoon some jelly onto a cold saucer and then push the jelly with your finger, if the jelly wrinkles and looks set, then setting point has been reached. You can also use a sugar thermometer; the jelly will be set when it has reached 106C on the thermometer.