Damson Jelly
Ingredients
Directions
The book says “a moderate oven”. The 350°F (175°C) in the steps is the modern equivalent, not the book's own figure.
Prepare the fruit
Separate the stalks from the damsons and bullaces.
Cut the fruit with a knife and place it in a large stone jar.
Tie the jar with paper and place it in a 350°F (175°C) oven overnight.
Extract the juice
Pour off the juice, strain it, weigh it, and boil quickly for 25 minutes without sugar.
Make the jelly
Add 10 ounces of sugar for each pound of juice, then boil and skim until the jelly sets.
Stir the jelly continuously while boiling.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Fine ripe damsons
- Provide the main fruit flavour, acidity and natural pectin needed for the jelly to set.
- Bullaces
- Add more tart fruit, contributing acidity and natural pectin alongside the damsons.
- Sugar
- Adds sweetness and, when boiled with the juice, helps the jelly reach a firm set.
The step that matters
Boiling the juice with sugar until it sets. Sugar, pectin and acid only form a firm gel at the right concentration, so the jelly must be boiled long enough to reach a set but not so long that it over-thickens or darkens. Stirring keeps the sugar dissolved and prevents scorching on the base of the pan.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
You might also like
White Cake431 recipes
Pound Cake373 recipes
Orange Bundt Cake349 recipes
Spice Cake344 recipesThe free Flavor Lab newsletter: one surprising pairing a week and the molecular reason it works, in 60 seconds. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Prefer an account? Create a free account to save pairings and unlock the full chemistry.