Grape Jelly - A Jar of Sunshine and Sweet Patience 🍇✨
Grape Jelly
Albany Surprise Grape Jelly — home made, jewel bright and utterly worth the wait.
Start by freeing your grapes from their stalks, discarding any that look less than perfect. Give them a good rinse — they’re about to become something special.
Tip the glossy fruit into a large preserving pan and armed with a trusty potato masher, gently crush them. You’re not pulverising — just encouraging them to release their juices.
Bring the pan to a gentle boil, then lower to a lively simmer for 10–15 minutes. As the grapes soften and collapse, the kitchen will fill with that unmistakable sweet, jammy perfume. When the fruit has fully broken down and the juices are flowing, it’s time for the slow magic.
Pour everything — juice, skins and all — into a muslin cloth or cheesecloth suspended over a bowl. Let gravity do the work overnight. Resist the temptation to squeeze the cloth; patience rewards you with beautifully clear jelly. (Cloudy jelly is still delicious… but we’re going for jewel-like clarity here.)
In the morning, measure your precious ruby juice and compost the spent pulp. Return the juice to a clean preserving pan. For every 500ml of juice, add 375g of jam sugar (the kind with added pectin) and the juice of half a lemon.
Warm gently over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely. Then turn up the heat and bring it to a rolling boil. Skim away any foam that rises to the surface — we want that glassy finish.
Now for the set test: spoon a little jelly onto a cold saucer and let it cool. Push your finger through it — if it wrinkles and holds its shape, it’s ready. If not, boil for another minute or two and test again.
Once ready, pour the molten jewel into hot sterilised jars and seal immediately. As it cools, it will transform into a shimmering, spreadable treasure.
Serve your grape jelly alongside creamy goat cheese and crisp crackers — the sweet-tart sparkle against tangy cheese is pure magic. Or swirl it through yoghurt, glaze a roast, or simply spread generously on warm toast.
Homemade, jewel-bright, and utterly worth the wait. 🍇