[Scribbler]

It said one lemon, juiced. So I should have added the lemon halves, not the juice?

[mumofstig]

Sounds, to me, like you needed the juice.
But only, i suppose, cos that's what i'm expecting it to mean....otherwise i think it would say pulp and rind of a lemon...or something like that if it didn't want the juice :blink:

[Scribbler]

Turned out to be ok. It just gloops so far and then stops, just like jelly. Just had to boil longer than the recipe said. Maybe something to do with pectin, although crabapples have lots apparently.

I'm really pleased - apart from pickled shallots, my first attempt at anything like this.

[tode]

Did you leave the skin and pips in, Scribbler ?

[Scribbler]

No. It's in jars now, lovely and red and clear as a bell.

You were joking?

Now the Mrs wants me to make some crabapple and chilli jelly.......

[tode]

Sorry, I meant when you cooked them 
Isn't it the pips an skin that contain a lot of pectin ?

[Scribbler]

What happened was a bit strange. After cooking the fruit and straining it through an old (clean) tea towel, I boiled up the juice with the sugar and the juice of the lemon. Kept doing the test to make sure it would set, using a spoon in the fridge, but it didn't seem to want to. (It was setting everywhere else, like on the worksurface, the hob...) Eventually I just chucked the two lemon halves in, gave it five more minutes and jarred it. By the time it cooled, it was a jelly.

But as you will see below, the recipe isn't very clear. It's a Waitrose recipe off the Internet. Do a Google and it's the first one you come to pretty much.

Still, it tastes fab after all the stressing over it! 




Ingredients

4 kg crab apples

1 kg caster sugar

1 lemon, juiced

Method

Wash the apples, remove the blossom heads and cut out any bruised bits. Put in a saucepan, fill with water to cover the apples and bring to the boil. Simmer for 25 minutes until the fruit is soft. Pour the pulp into a jelly bag or several layers of muslin and let drip overnight into a pan beneath. Don’t squeeze the bag, it will cloud the jelly.

The next day, measure the juice, and combine with sugar at the ratio of 10 parts juice to 7 sugar. Add the lemon, then bring to the boil to dissolve the sugar. Keep at a rolling boil for 35–40 minutes, skimming off the froth regularly. To test, chill a dessertspoon in the fridge. When the jelly is set, it will solidify on the back of the spoon. Pour into warm, sterilised preserving jars and tightly seal while still slightly warm. Store in a cool dark place.

[tode]

Well, its the result that counts 
Doesn't seem like much sugar, but then there's no point making it sickly-sweet.   

[Scribbler]

So what would you have done with the lemon?

[tode]

Ah, sorry 
Just the juice, I presume. Don't think you'd want to blitz the pith (if you'll excuse the expession).

[Scribbler]

Now you're taking the pith...
 

[tode]

No, thertainly not.