AGAIN!
This happened when I made my peach 'jam' and so this time I made sure I measured out the fruit and carefully put in the same amount of preserving sugar. I followed the advice in this book...
...and, not having a real recipe just covered the fruit with water and simmered it for a bit to soften it.
But I have a cunning plan... I'm going to cook some apples and add the Reine Claude sauce then put it in preserving jars and label it as pie filling. That way I probably won't need to add any more sugar when I finally use it in a pie.
Or over ice cream.
Or as a base to a French Tarte.
And therein lies another tale.
I have spent many days researching into how to use my French jars...
I have lots of clear ones as well as these lovely green ones, but it has been SO hard to find out how to use them!
I accept that America is a great user of the Internet, and I found that most of the info on preserves in jars (they seem to call it 'canning') is from there. They use things called Mason jars, which are like the English Kilner jars. Of course, I am in France, so neither of those products is readily available here! The supermarkets and Gamme Vert shops sell lots of this type of jar...
...which I like the look of very much. And, to be honest, it is best to buy something where I can buy the accessories - such as new rubber rings - locally rather than pay the high postage prices (and wait for ever) for things from the Internet.
But (yes, you were waiting for that) there was nothing I could find to tell me how to use them.
UNTIL - I found the Le Parfait site.
So then I knew that I needed a steriliser so that the jars were properly sealed against bacteria and would keep.
So I went on to Amazon and bought one. It came today.
But when I unpacked it, I found that the lid (only lightweight plastic) had been broken in transit, so it has to go back!!!!! You see - I should have looked for one in a local shop, then I could have simply got a new lid or at least done a straight swap for another steriliser straight away.
So my apple pie filling (I also have some blackberries in the freezer to add to apples) is on hold for the moment.
At this rate, all the summer produce will be over before I even get to bottle any of it!
6 comments:
Maybe one of your neighbours has a steriliser you could borrow. Our French friends seemed to spend a lot of time 'canning'
Great idea to turn the "jam" into pie filling. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade...or pie filling. :)
I love those jars, they're very attractive looking!
I wonder why that happens that the 'jam' ends up as 'sauce'? I had exactly the same thing happen to me when I tried making marmalade....it just wouldn't set! I ended up throwing the lot away, which to be honest, although it was a real waste, it didn't bother me as I can't stand the stuff!!
Sorry to hear about your steriliser though, hope you get your replacement quickly. My friend, who preserves a lot of things, uses a pressure cooker to do this apparently.
Hugs Sharon in Spain xx
Plum sauce sounds like the jus restaurants use to decorate one's loin of hare. Would it be delicious poured over vanilla ice cream?
Amazing what you can find in Gamvert. I bought woodworm killer last time I was in one!
You could always try boiling it up again. I've done that with blackberry jelly that didn't set. Worked a treat.
Happened the same to me with strawberry jam a couple of years ago. Great as a coulis! For jamming, you can't beat a preserving thermometer. It sort of by definition HAS to be jam by the time it reaches 104˚C. I remember visiting a family in Paris this time of year back in around 1979 and my friend's mum was making jam - she was sealing with a cap of melted wax. No other lid. Just wide necked preserve jars.
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