Jelly, jam and preserves make the best inexpensive homemade Christmas gifts. You will need to have the right equipment on hand to make them. You'll need baking sheets, canning jars with lids, a colander, several pots and pans, a food processor or blender, some paring knives, tongs, slotted spoons, a strainer for removing seeds from fruit such as strawberries and blackberries, and a wire rack for cooling. You will also need ingredients such as sugar and pectin, the ingredient which makes the product firm and solid.
Before you begin to make your jam, jelly or preserves Christmas gift, wash your jars out with hot soapy water, or wash them in the dishwasher. You may keep them hot on the dishwasher's dry cycle or set them on baking sheets and transfer them to the oven set to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep the lids sterile by simmering them in water. Never bring them to a full rolling boil. You can also make jam, jelly and preserves with some bread makers.
It's best to use the freshest fruit possible. Try obtaining your fruit from local growers, since they tend to fresh off the vine; fruit shipped from out of state is often picked green and has already been sitting for weeks before it even reaches you. You can also try picking your own fruit at a local farm or orchard. Since most fruit is harvested in the summer or fall, it's best to get started on your canning well in advance of the Christmas season. Carefully wash your fruit before beginning the canning process. Then chop and pit it, removing any blemishes or bruises. If the fruit you need is not in season, you can easily make your jam, jelly or preserves from frozen fruit.
After you complete your jam, jelly or preserves and place it in the jars with the lids tightly screwed on, you must sterilize them by boiling them in water which covers the jars by one or two inches. When completed, the button on the top of the lid should be down, just as in jars which you would purchase from the grocery store. If the lid is not down, then this is a sign that your product did not sterilize and seal properly, and you will need to repeat the process.
Be very careful when making jam, jelly or preserves. There is a lot of heat involved in this process, and you can easily be burned. Try wearing heat-resistant gloves and long sleeves to protect your hands and arms.
When your jelly, jam or preserves are finished, decorate them by placing attractive cloth over the lids and binding with a ribbon. Complete your homemade Christmas gift by placing the jars inside a gift basket. You can buy the basket, make it yourself, or purchase one from a thrift store, garage sale or Craigslist.
Apricot Jam Christmas Gift Idea
3 pounds apricots (you can substitutes nectarines, plums or peaches)
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup water
7 cups sugar
Fruit pectin
Start with fresh or frozen apricots (they should have no added sugar). Wash the fruit thoroughly under cool water. Jam can be made in small batches only, so don't increase the recipe. Follow the above instructions for sterilizing the jars. Keep the lids in the lightly boiling water while you're making the apricot mixture.
Peel the apricots. To make peeling easier, boil the fruit for about a minute, then remove and soak in ice water. The skins should come off easily.
Carefully chop and pit the apricots, removing any brown areas. Place them in a food processor or blender with the water and process until they are smooth. Measure about four cups of apricots into a large pot. Add the sugar and the lemon juice and stir. Boil over high heat and continue to stir. Add the amount of pectin recommended by the manufacturer and boil hard about one minute longer, and stir constantly. Remove the mixture from the heat. Place the jam in the jars with a metal ladle. Do not fill all the way to the top, but leave a space of about one eighth of an inch. Use a freshly washed damp towel to remove any spills from the outside of the jars. Use the tongs to remove the lids from the gently boiling water, and place on a towel to dry. Screw the lids on the jars tightly and sterilize in boiling water for five to eight minutes.
Apple Preserves Christmas Gift Idea
6 cups tart apples such as Rome, Macintosh or Granny Smith
1 cup water
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
Fruit pectin
1/2 cup thin lemon slices
2 teaspoons of nutmeg
4 cups sugar
Peel and slice the apples. Place them in the saucepan with the water and lemon juice. Cook over low heat for ten minutes with the cover on. Add the pectin according to package instructions and bring the mixture to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Add the sugar and the lemon slices. Bring back to a full boil, and boil hard for one minute, stirring constantly.
Remove the apple mixture from the heat and add the nutmeg. Ladle into the jars, leaving a space of one quarter inch at the top. Remove the lids from the boiling water and allow to cool. Dry them and screw them on tightly. Boil the jars in water for ten minutes.
Blackberry Preserves Christmas Gift Idea
3 pounds fresh or frozen blackberries
7 cups sugar
Fruit Pectin
Remove any stems or caps from the blackberries. If using frozen blackberries, allow them to thaw before beginning. Wash thoroughly under cold water and allow to drain. Process the blackberries in a food processor or blender. Push through a strainer to remove the seeds. Place four cups of blackberries into a large pot and add the sugar. Bring this mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for one minute, stirring continually. Transfer to hot jars, and place the lids on tightly. Boil the jars in water for five to ten minutes.
Raspberry Jelly Christmas Gift Idea
3 quarts raspberries
7 1/2 cups sugar
Fruit pectin
Place the raspberries in a jar and crush them. Boil the jar in a saucepan until the juice is released. Place some cheesecloth in a strainer and place over a large sauce pot. Pour off the juice. Remove the cheesecloth and place the cooked raspberries into the strainer and allow to drain into the pot. You should have four cups of juice. Don't try to push the juice out of the raspberries. Gradually add the sugar and bring the mixture to a low boil. Add the fruit pectin and boil. Ladle into sterilized jars and tightly screw on the lids.
Jalapeno Jelly Christmas Gift Idea
1 green bell pepper
16 jalapeno peppers
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 1/4 cups sugar
Fruit pectin
1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
Chop the green bell pepper and twelve of the jalapeno peppers. Process in a food processor until well chopped. Place in a large pot and add the vinegar. Boil over low heat for fifteen to twenty minutes. Push the mixture through a strainer or through cheesecloth until you have one up of juice. Put the juice back into the pot, and add the sugar and salt. Boil to a full rolling boil for a minute. Add the pectin according to package instructions.
Seed and chop the remaining four jalapeno peppers. Stir them into the jelly mixture, then ladle the jelly into sterile jars with one quarter inch of empty space at the top. Seal the jars tightly.
"How to Make Apricot Preserves," URL: (http://www.ehow.com/how_17979_make-apricot-preserves.html)
"How to Make Blackberry Preserves," URL: (http://www.ehow.com/how_17892_make-blackberry-preserves.html)
Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/453235/christmas_gift_idea_homemade_jelly.html?cat=74
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