Elderberry Jelly
The moment we hit August, what do you think of? The leaves changing and falling, the cooler weather showing it’s presences, the end of summer sales at the shops, school going back or the last moments before you get the once in a year opportunity to go elderberry foraging and jam making? We all have our moments that we focus on and look forward to, but i’m not here to talk about school returning. This read is all about elderberries, their bleeding power to stain all that is comes in contact with but in turn, their beauty in creating preservatives that can be enjoyed until the following August rolls around.
Let’s get one thing straight before the questions come surging in like a 6-foot wave. Elderberries are made from the same plant as the elderflower or holunder flower. The flower appears first, around end of June/beginning July, they fall off and then the centre part turns into a green berry around end of July/ beginning of August and then finally ripening to a rich purple colour. At this point they are ready to pick.
If you don’t live where you can go forgoing for elderberries, ask your local fruit store as they are more than likely to stock them. After all they are pretty much a fast spreading weed disguised as a tree. If you do access them from a store, I think it is still very important to know how, when and where the foods you buy, are grown. We all should have an understand of the origin of what we put in our mouths because in a colloquial term “you are what you eat”. Anyway, my point is, everything you eat comes from somewhere… find out where.
Both the berries and the flowers are full of immune boosting antioxidants and vitamins. These can directly effect the way the human body reacts to stress, inflammation and also helps protect the heart. You may also find that many herbal medication use elderberries or holunder flowers as their basis as it is effective in treating many flu and cold symptoms. Other common medical problems that the elderberry is effective in treating are;
constipation
muscular and joint pain
lung infections
headaches
fevers
kidney infections
epilepsy
acne
stress
HIV and AIDS
Preserving fruit doesn’t have to be daunting, especially when you have the right equipment to make things easier and less messy. Three things you will need for this recipe are;
1 muslin - this is also called a cheese cloth or fruit strainer and it is a very fine cloth that allows the liquid to strain through without any chunks of food.
measuring cups - simple. Just to achieve exact measurements of your fruits and sugar otherwise there is a chance you won’t reach the setting point or jelly consistency
jars - to be sterilised and then to store your freshly made jelly.
Many other jelly recipes use grams as measurements which means you would need a small scale (between 0.1 gram - 3kg is best), but I have adjusted this recipe to cup measurements as this is a lot easier because it is less finicky in achieving exact weights and I think, requires less equipment, because not every house hold will have a micro scale.
For the overnight straining, it is most important that the muslin holding the elderberry/apples which is then placed in a colander or strainer, does not sit into its own liquid. You need have a good amount of space between the dripping liquid and the resting liquid in your bowl. This is simply achieved with a deep bowl underneath the strainer. Do not refrigerate this either as it will slow the dripping down and a lot of the liquid will also be absorb and remain in the fruits, meaning you won’t end up with much fruit liquid to turn into jelly.
One last thing, the setting point can be tested very easily. Once you have been cooking the liquid for at least 20 minutes, spoon a teaspoon of the liquid into a small ramekin and place into the freezer for 3-5 minutes. The jelly is set if the liquid does not immediately join back together when you run your finger down the centre. If the liquid does retract, simple keep cooking for another 5-10 minutes, then test again.
Don’t be frightened of preserving. It really can be a fun experience and most rewarding one too. The best part is you can enjoy these delicious and healthy berries all year round, even months after picking. Spread it on toast with a dollop of butter, baked into a fluffy sponge cake or spooned into teatime cookies. Take a look at this delicious crumble cake with elderberry jam or this elderberry jam recipe that keeps the berries whole as a more crunchy style alternative. Stay tuned for an up and coming cooking recipes using this summer jelly.
Enjoy
xx
Elderberry Jelly
Ingredients
4 cups elderberries
1.5kg cooking apples
1 lemon, juiced
2 cups sugar
Method
Carefully detach the berries from the stalks and then thoroughly wash. Cut the apples into cubes, leaving the skin on. Place the apples and berries into a large pot, covering with about 2 cups of water. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer, cooking until the berries and apples become soft.
Pour the contents into a muslin cloth, tying the top up, and then place this over a colander which sits over a large bowl. Made sure the colander does not sit into the dripping liquid in the bowl but hovers well over the top. Leave overnight.
The following day, place the sugar and lemon juice in a medium pot along with the elderberry juice. Place on a medium/low heat and cook for 15-20 minutes. Test the setting point and one reached, pot into sterilised jars. Seeled jars will keep for years in a dry, cool place. Once opened, keep the jelly in the fridge for 3-4 months.
