Medlars The dark brown ones are the ones that have Belted.
- 1.5kg crab apples (you can omit these if your confident in setting the jelly)
- 2.5kg bletted medlars( ones that have gone soft and brown)
- 500g firm medlars
- 3 lemons
- 3 litres water
- 1.2kg granulated sugar (this can change you need to measure the amount of juice and add equal amounts of sugar so 1pt =1lb of sugar)
The bletted medlars should be dark and soft before you start. Clean them by removing any stalks and leaves and chopping them in half. Remove any really obvious rotten bits. chop up the lemons and apples into quarters
Place all the fruit chopped into a jam pan (muslin) then add the water.
Slowly bring to fruit and water to boiling point, after 2 mins of boiling reduce the heat and cover the pan with a lid . Simmer and check the pan every 10 mins or so gently with the back of a spoon help break up the fruit.
Once it is mushy and soft this can take up to an hour.
Prepare a jelly bag and pour the fruit and juice into it and let it hang overnight to drip (12 hours) into a clean bowl Don’t squeeze the bag. The following day clean and sterilise a number of jars and lids for the cooking of the jelly.
To sterilized the jars you will need to clean them and warm then in an oven on a heat not greater than 150C to dry the jars and ensure sterilisation. The lids will need to be placed in the oven for a short time also. (If using second hand lids first place a wax disk over the contents of the jar once filled before applying lid.
Now Measure the juice, back into the jam pan and bring to the boil cook for 5 mins.
Measure the juice again and add an equal amount of sugar (which should be about 1 pound to 1 pint of juice ).
Slowly back to the boil and stir until the sugar has completely dissolved. Only boil once the sugar is dissolved, now with a rolling fast boil, continue to cook the jelly checking every 2-3 mins to see if it setting point has been reached.
You can test for jelly by holding the spoon high above the pan and waiting for the drip, once the dip is struggling to leave the spoon your there. Pour jelly into your sterilised jars and lid. Leave to cool and store in a cool dark lace this jelly is perfect with brie or any good cheese.