[Mega]

Hi

Has anyone got a recipe for Elderberry Jam at all    Got loads around my neck of the woods & such shame to leave them all for the birds !
Thanks  :happy:

[hamstergbert]

Take the berries off the stalks using a fork then swill em in water and drain.
Into the jam pan and slightly over-cover with water.  May wish to slap in juice of a lemon or two or a glug or two of PLJ. Up to a boil, simmer for about five minutes and get stuck in with a potato masher and a really mean attitude. 

Cool the gunge down and process through the jelly bag, being really, really careful not to spill any wayward drops anywhere that doesnt look good with purple blotches.
I then poured into (thoroughly washed) plastic milk containers and store in the fridge.

Either make as jam with c1lb sugar to pint of juice but you will need to add pectin too (one sachet per two pints seems about right). 

I instead usually churn out a batch of crab apple and strain that also overnight, aiming for about five pints of that to four pints of the elderberry.   

Mix the two juices and then add your sugar - broadly same c1lb per pint of the mix - but you should be OK for pectin at least for a gentle set.

A breathtakingly good jelly when it works out perfectly and pretty good even when it doesn't.  I even get 'reminders' at this time of year from people who have had my elderberry and crabble in years past to get busy and not to forget them.  As luck would have it, making one 4pint brew of pure elderberry plus a six pinter elderberry and crabble has been keeping me out of mischief for much of the last week, with the latest lot just cooling!

The pure elderberry is extra faffing and the added pectin but is magnificent in taste, smell and appearance (pretty well gleaming jet black in the jars, it is so thick).

[MoreWhisky]

that does sound good Hamster might go get myself some tomorrow and give this a go 

[Dirt Diver]

Has anybody every tried Elderberry Jelly as savory- its a strong flavour, I wondered if it would work

[hamstergbert]

Has anybody every tried Elderberry Jelly as savory- its a strong flavour, I wondered if it would work

Have in the past made a small batch of elderberry and crabble with about a quarter the usual amount of sugar, and that was really sharp and tart (slight pucker-face, the sweet-toothed among us might complain) and ace as a savoury embellishment with cold turkey, (proper) pork pies etc.  I do vaguely remember however it being a beggar to persuade it to anything other than quite a soft set in spite of the crabble component.

[Madame Cholet]

sounds good there seems to be a good crop this year,  i'll give it a go.

[Mega]

Great thanks - think I will try it with apple saves messing with the pectin ! 

[Madame Cholet]

Could I make it more as a jam than a jelly as I seam to have a infinate supply of cooking and desert apples, I could mash the elderberries thro a seive then add the apples, would that work

[mike1987]

ive mixed them with some leftover plums and brambles to make a wonderfull slghtly tart jam
only problem is that i didnt add enough pectin so today its getting reboiled

[hamstergbert]

Could I make it more as a jam than a jelly as I seam to have a infinate supply of cooking and desert apples, I could mash the elderberries thro a seive then add the apples, would that work

go for it - if the taste is right (balance of sugar and fruit) and the set is as you want it (enough pectin from the apples) you'll be fine.  (Mind you, apples through a sieve or bag and then boiled down really hard ie reducing the volume by heading on for half and only then adding your filtered elderberry juice gives you the easy set with close to the clearness of a jelly.  Just sayin')

[Mega]

Thank u 

[MoreWhisky]

My berries are boiling now  cant wait.

[Foghorn-Leghorn]

Hamster I used you recipe and the results were lovely.  I'm really impressed and glad I made a huge batch (well, two batches actually as I had too much to go in the pan at once!) as I can see it been given as gifts for friends and family too. 

[MoreWhisky]

Ive not got to the apple bit yet my elderberry juice is now cooling , could someone explain what i actually do with the apples a bit more please ?

[Foghorn-Leghorn]

What I've finally found works with the apples (and it has been trial and error) is to roughly chop your apples - peel, pips, core and all - and then put them in a pan and just cover with water.  I then slow simmer them until they go mushy (my cooking apples from my tree turn to mush pretty fast and I end up with a puree) and then the whole lot gets emptied into a jelly bag over a container and left to drain over night.