Jelly Making without Test
The test for pectin is desirable, but it is not essential. In some states it is inconvenient because of the difficulty of obtaining grain alcohol. A large percentage of housewives make jelly without this test, and satisfactory results may be obtained without it if care is taken to follow directions and to use the right fruits. For the inexperienced jelly maker the safe rule is to confine jelly making to the fruits which are ideal for the purpose. These include currants, sour apples, crab-apples, under-ripe grapes, quinces, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, wild cherries, and green gooseberries. These contain pectin and acid in sufficient quantities.
In making jelly without the alcohol test, with the juice of currants and under-ripe grapes use 1 cup of sugar to 1 cup of juice. With raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, sour apples, crab-apples, quinces, wild cherries and green gooseberries use ¾ cup of sugar to 1 cup of juice. This applies to the first extraction of juice and to the later extractions when they have been boiled to the consistency of the first extraction.
Fruits which contain pectin but lack sufficient acid are peach, pear, quince, sweet apple and guava. With these acid may be added by the use of juice of crab-apples or under-ripe grapes.
Strawberries and cherries have acidity but lack pectin. The pectin may be supplied by the addition of the juice of crab-apples or under-ripe grapes.