Makes 5 lb (2.3kg)
4 lb (1.8kg) cooking apples
2 pints (1.1 litres) water
thinly pared rind of 1 lemon or 4-6 cloves
granulated sugar (see recipe)
Coarsely chop the apples, discarding any damaged parts. Put into a preserving pan and add the water (should be just enough to cover) and pared lemon rind or cloves. Simmer gently for about 1 hour until quite soft. As fruit softens, stir occasionally and crush the fruit with the back of a wooden spoon (extracts pectin).
Ladle the softened fruit and juices into a scalded jelly bag and leave the fruit to drip for several hours. Measure strained juice into the rinsed preserving pan and for every 1 pint (600ml) juice add 1 lb (450g) granulated sugar. Stir over low heat until sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil and boil rapidly for about 10 minutes. Draw off the heat and test for a set. Skim the surface. Pour into warmed jelly jars and cover.
Variations Crab-apple jelly: Use 41b (1.8kg) coarsely chopped crab-apples, leaving small ones whole. Pot quickly as crab-apple jelly sets very fast. Crab-apples produce a pretty pink jelly.
Redcurrant and raspberry jelly: Use 2 lb (900g) raspberries and 2 lb (900g) redcurrants and omit the lemon (or cloves). These two fruits make a good partnership you get a marvellous colour from the raspberries and a good set from the redcurrants.