Recipes for making strawberry jelly for the winter
In winter, it is so nice to eat summer preparations, for example, strawberry jelly. This berry dish is prepared very quickly and simply, but it is a worthy competitor to gourmet desserts. In addition, by supplementing the main recipe with other berries, fruits and other additives, it is always possible to get a rather original, but healthy sweetness.
Cooking rules
Strawberry jelly is prepared by two main methods: hot and cold. Getting to the development of this dish, you need to be prepared for two important points. Firstly, the cooked treat will not necessarily be as dense as the jelly from the bag. It is possible that the consistency will resemble jam. Secondly, the use of sugar in the manufacture of this dish is extremely important. The sweetener will not only change its taste, but also increase the shelf life, and also act as a thickener.
The amount of berries themselves and granulated sugar is determined based on the purpose for which the jelly is prepared and where it will be stored. Of course, preference is given to strawberries grown not even in a greenhouse, but in a garden in the most natural conditions.
hot way
The use of the first method is impossible without pre-sterilized jars and lids that hermetically seal the containers. The prepared jelly is stored, as a rule, in the basement or pantry, it can be in an ordinary closet - the main thing is not to allow too high temperatures or temperature fluctuations. The shelf life of the product reaches two years.
Usually, a kilogram of sugar is taken per kilogram of berries, but in the event that when there is a desire to reduce the amount of sweetener, you will have to increase the amount of gelatin or its equivalent. In any case, the amount of ingredients varies until the optimum concentration is reached.
cold method
The second method of preparation requires the use of grated berries mixed with sugar. They can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator. The berries must be taken ripe and strong, as watery samples will not allow you to get the proper consistency. Sugar in this case is necessary for conservation, so this ingredient should be enough. Usually, more than one and a half kilograms of sweetener is taken per kilogram of strawberries.
Recipes
The simplest step-by-step recipe for making strawberry jelly for the winter will require one kilogram of berries and one and a half to two kilograms of granulated sugar. Strawberries are well washed and heavily crushed with the addition of sugar. It is important that the sand is completely dissolved. Then the mass is laid out in glass jars so that it remains at the top in a gap of 1.5 centimeters. It will be filled with sugar, after which the lids will close.
It will be necessary to store such strawberry jelly in the refrigerator.
A delicious dish can be made from strawberries and gelatin. A kilogram of berries is used together with a kilogram of granulated sugar and 20 grams of gelatin granules. Washed strawberries are laid out in a container covered with enamel for two hours and covered with sugar. Everything is put on fire and brought to a boil, after which it is mixed with gelatin that has already swollen for half an hour. The finished jelly is laid out in jars and closed with lids.
Those who are not particularly disposed to gelatin can prepare a dish with its replacement - pectin. This substance is obtained from citrus fruits, apples or beets, but in principle, it will be possible to buy a package of the finished powder in any grocery store. The ingredients include 250 grams of granulated sugar, 500 grams of strawberries and 5 grams of pectin. First of all, the berries are mashed using a blender. Then the mass is laid out in a container and placed on the stove. When it warms up, then a mixture of sugar and pectin will be added to it. Boiled jelly is kept on low heat for five minutes, after which it is poured into jars.
A worthy replacement for pectin can be apple puree. Cooking jelly will turn out from a kilogram of strawberries, a kilogram of granulated sugar and half a kilogram of apples. Strawberries are traditionally mashed, and apples are peeled and seeds are removed. Then the fruits are ground together into a single puree-like substance. Two types of jelly are mixed and laid out in a container standing on the stove. While the mass is heating, sugar must be added to it, and then boiled for about an hour.
It is important to stir the jelly periodically. When the product reaches the required consistency, it is removed from the fire and laid out in glass containers with lids.
If the hostess has a bread machine or a slow cooker in the kitchen, then the jelly can be prepared using this useful technique, even from a whole berry. The ingredients will require one lemon, a kilogram of strawberries, 300 grams of granulated sugar and 5 grams of pectin. The berry is pureed, after which it is laid in a bowl. The device turns on the program "Jam", and the time is set from an hour to an hour and a half. The finished dish is poured into containers and closed with lids.
In the event that the jelly is prepared from whole berries, they are simply laid out in a bowl along with lemon juice and pectin.
If the workpiece should be with strawberries and cherries, then it will be prepared with the addition of lemon juice. The ingredients include a kilogram of strawberries, 500 grams of cherries, 1.2 kilograms of sugar, two tablespoons of lemon juice and one package of gelatin granules. The berries are thoroughly washed, the pits are removed from the cherries, and the strawberries are freed from green particles. The fruits are brought to a state of puree with a blender and covered with sugar mixed with gelatin.
Everything is thoroughly mixed and left alone for five minutes. After that, the mass is brought to a boil on the stove, lemon juice is poured into it, and the composition is cooked for another ten minutes. The finished jelly is laid out in glass containers and closed with lids.
Strawberry-raspberry jelly is considered quite a classic combination. For 500 grams of strawberries, you need 500 grams of raspberries, one kilogram of granulated sugar and 30 grams of gelatin granules. The berries are washed and freed from leaves, in addition, spoiled samples will need to be thrown away. Then, strawberries are crushed in one container to a puree state, and raspberries in another. Two substances are mixed into one and seasoned with sugar.
The saucepan is to be put on the stove, and then brought to a boil. Having reached the peak point, the jelly will need to be mixed with gelatin and left on fire until it thickens. Of course, throughout the entire process, the contents of the pan will have to be periodically stirred. The prepared jam is poured into glass jars and tightly sealed.
Additionally, it is recommended to pasteurize it for ten minutes.
Frozen strawberries, by the way, are also suitable for making treats. In addition to 250 grams of berries, you will need one glass of cream (10%), 130 grams of granulated sugar, 20 grams of gelatin capsules and lemon juice. Half of the gelatin is poured with three tablespoons of cream, and the rest of the liquid is mixed with 65 grams of sugar and heated on the stove, not reaching a boil. Then both substances are mixed with each other until a homogeneous mass is obtained.
The prepared form is filled with the finished product, which is then removed for a while in the refrigerator. At this time, strawberries are cut into small pieces, sprinkled with the remaining sugar and poured with lemon juice and a glass of water. The resulting mass is put on the stove, brought to a boil and cooked for about ten minutes under a closed lid. The second half of the gelatin is poured with three tablespoons of water and, having swollen, is sent to the strawberry mass. The composition is cooled, poured into a mold on top of the creamy jelly and sent to the refrigerator for at least two hours.
Helpful Hints
In search of a source of pectin, you can use not only applesauce, but also currants. Ideally, you should mix both varieties and combine with the same amount of strawberry puree. If, nevertheless, it is decided to use gelatin, then it will first need to be diluted according to the instructions. The berries are usually selected the most ripe, overripe ones are not prohibited, slightly green or softened fruits are excluded.
In no case should you also take those specimens that were collected in rainy weather - there is a high probability of getting watery and tasteless strawberries. To prevent liquid from accumulating inside the fetus, the leaves are removed only after washing and drying.Washing, by the way, is better not under the tap, but in a colander, which is lowered into a saucepan of water.
How long the blank will be stored depends on the recipe used. Usually high-quality heat treatment allows you to store jelly in a regular cabinet in the kitchen.
Although the sugar content in strawberries is quite low, fruit acid is still present in its composition. Therefore, in order to avoid spoiling the taste, it is necessary to think over the dishes used and exclude those made of aluminum. When strawberries and this metal interact, oxidation will occur, and the jelly will deteriorate. Experts recommend choosing a container made of steel, and stirring the jelly with either a wooden or silicone spatula. It is best to store the finished delicacy in sterilized glass jars.
By the way, some craftsmen do not recommend kneading berries with a blender, especially when the recipe does not contain gelatin. According to them, such jelly will grab much worse and will not reach the required consistency. Therefore, it is better to use a potato masher.
Sugar is quite successfully replaced with powdered sugar in the required amount. The cooking process, taking into account this ingredient, will be faster, and the taste will be more tender.
How to cook strawberry thick jelly with gelfix, see the following video.