Elderflower Jelly

[cecil39]

I have made elderflower jelly as the recipe says but I cannot make it set, it has now been boiled for 15mins and I am using the cold plate in the fridge method of testing, any idea's?

[EDDIE51]

What recipe did you use, how much gelatine did you put in?

[cecil39]

no gelatine, just lemon juice sugar and the liquid from the soaked elderflowers, just as the recipe said.

[gingejbee]

You don't seem to have any "setting material" in there....ie gelatine or pectin. You'll get pectin from lemon pips but not just the juice.

[EDDIE51]

It will never set without gelatine , use 3 leafs per 100ml liquid.
Never heard of a recipe that does not use gelatine
http://www.annabelkarmel.com/recipes/elderflower-jelly

[EcclesCake]

Eddie, I believe this is a clear jam like preserve and with adequate pectin should not require gelatine.

I suspect it is down to an inadequate amount of pectin and maybe re boiling with a commensurate amount of pectin will resolve the problem.

Whose recipe are you using Cecil, is it from a tried and tested source?

[EDDIE51]

No pectin in Elderflower Eccles.

[cecil39]

the recipe was by marrian on 'allrecipes',

[EcclesCake]

that is what the lemon is for........

[Mamyalynne]

http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/23893/elderflower-jam.aspx

[Mamyalynne]

Are you using jam sugar as she recommends?

[EcclesCake]

Sorry, I missed Cecil's reply. Using the right sugar is important but could be rectified by buying some sachets of pectin in the supermarket.

[Old_Geezer]

Not that I've ever tried to make jam but, that's the first time I've ever heard of a special sugar called "jam sugar" !
http://www.silverspoon.co.uk/products/baking-and-cooking/preserving-sugars/jam-sugar
Yeah missing pectin.

[EDDIE51]

That recipe is for Elderflower JAM , a totally different thing to Elderflower JELLY. The pectin to make it set is in the Jam sugar which is a mix of sugar and pectin. Unless you have used jam sugar ( or added extra pectin) it will never set no matter how long it boils.

[Mamyalynne]

Think we all agree there.

[cecil39]

Thanks for all your answers, I gave it another ten mins boiling then put it in the jars, not going to touch it till the morning so fingers crossed.