Concord Grape Jelly Food

CONCORD GRAPE JELLY

Steps:

• Sort and wash grapes, and remove stems. Place them into a large kettle and crush them. Add water, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and extract juice. Allow the juice to stand in a cool place overnight to prevent the formation of crystals in the jelly.
• Strain the juice through a double thickness of damp cheesecloth. Measure 4 cups of the juice into a large pot. Stir in the sugar. Quickly bring to a full rolling boil. Stir in pectin, and allow to boil hard for 1 minute. Remove from heat, and skim off foam. Pour into hot sterile jars, and process for 5 minutes in a boiling water bath.

CONCORD GRAPE LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Make the filling: Combine the grapes, apple and water in a medium Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Cover and cook until most of the grapes pop and shrivel, about 12 minutes. Increase the heat to medium and stir in the granulated sugar. Cook, stirring often and mashing with a potato masher occasionally to crush the apple, until the filling is thick and syrupy, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool completely.
• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour three 8-inch round cake pans; line the bottoms with parchment paper. Sift the flour, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl. Beat the granulated sugar and vegetable oil in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until it looks like wet sand, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla; beat on high speed until light, about 2 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low; beat in the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour. Continue beating until smooth, about 1 minute.
• Divide the batter among the prepared pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes in the pans, then invert onto racks; remove the parchment and let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the topping: Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk the egg whites in a medium bowl until just foamy. Spread the granulated sugar in a pie plate or shallow bowl. Dip the grapes in the egg whites, letting any excess drip back into the bowl, then roll in the sugar. Transfer the sugared grapes to the prepared baking sheet. Freeze at least 30 minutes.
• Make the frosting: Beat the butter and salt in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar, then the vanilla. Increase the mixer speed to medium high and beat until very light and fluffy, about 2 more minutes.
• Assemble the cake: Put 1 cake layer on a cake stand or serving plate. Spread about one-third of the grape filling on the cake, then top with another cake layer and half of the remaining filling. Top with the third cake layer. Cover the top and side of the cake with the frosting. Refrigerate to set the frosting, 15 to 20 minutes. Spread the remaining filling on top of the cake, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Arrange the frozen grapes around the border.

CONCORD GRAPE JAM

Steps:

• Sterilize jars:
• Wash jars, lids, and screw bands in hot, soapy water, then rinse well. Dry screw bands. Put jars on a rack in canner or deep pot and add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, covered, then boil for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, leaving jars in water. Heat lids in water to cover by 2 inches in a small saucepan until thermometer registers 180°F (do not let boil). Remove from heat, leaving lids in water. Keep the jars and lids submerged in hot water, covered, until ready to use.
• Cook jam:
• Chill 2 small plates (for testing jam).
• Slip skins from grapes and purée skins with 1 cup sugar in a food processor, then transfer to a 4- to 6-quart wide heavy pot. Stir in lemon juice, peeled grapes, and remaining 4 cups sugar and boil over moderate heat, stirring frequently and skimming foam, until pulp is broken down, about 20 minutes. Force jam through food mill set over a large bowl. Discard remaining solids. Return jam to pot and cook at a slow boil, skimming foam occasionally and stirring frequently as mixture thickens to prevent scorching, 35 minutes, then test for doneness.
• To test jam, remove from heat, then drop a teaspoonful on a chilled plate and chill 1 minute. Tilt plate: Jam should remain in a mound and not run. If jam runs, continue cooking at a slow boil, testing every 5 minutes, until done, up to 25 minutes more.
• Seal, process, and store jars:
• Drain jars upside down on a clean kitchen towel 1 minute, then invert. Ladle jam into jars, leaving 1/4 inch of space at top. Wipe off rims of filled jars with a clean damp kitchen towel, then top with lids and firmly screw on screw bands. Put sealed jars on rack in canner or pot and add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, covered, then boil 10 minutes. With tongs, transfer jars to a towel-lined surface to cool.
• Jars will seal; if you hear a ping, it signals that vacuum formed at the top of cooling preserves has made lid concave. Remember that you may or may not be around to hear that ping (some jars make the sound after you remove them from water, and others in same batch may take a few hours); the important thing is for jars to eventually have concave lids. Preserves will thicken as they cool.
• After jars have cooled 12 to 24 hours, press center of each lid to check that it's concave, then remove screw band and try to lift off lid with your fingertips. If you can't, lid has a good seal. Replace screw band. Put any jars that haven't sealed properly in the refrigerator and use them first.

SURE.JELL® CONCORD GRAPE JELLY

Steps:

• Bring boiling-water canner, half full with water, to simmer. Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain well before filling.
• Stem and crush grapes thoroughly, 1 layer at a time. Place in large saucepan; add water. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 min., stirring occasionally. Place 3 layers of damp cheesecloth or jelly bag in large bowl. Pour prepared fruit into cheesecloth. Tie cheesecloth closed; hang and let drip into bowl until dripping stops. Press gently. Measure exactly 1-1/4 qt. (5 cups) prepared juice into 6- or 8-qt. saucepot.
• Stir pectin into juice in saucepot. Add butter to reduce foaming. Bring mixture to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 min., stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.
• Ladle immediately into prepared jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with 2-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. (Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.) Cover; bring water to gentle boil. Process 5 min. Remove jars and place upright on towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middle of lid with finger. (If lid springs back, lid is not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)

CONCORD GRAPE JELLY

Steps:

• In a large saucepan combine grape juice, lemon juice, butter, and pectin. Bring mixture to a rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Keep stirring and bring mixture to a rolling boil and boil hard for no longer than 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim foam if necessary. Ladle hot jelly into hot sterilized jars leaving 1/4-inch head space. Adjust 2-piece caps. Process 5 minutes in hot boiling water canner.

CONCORD GRAPE JELLY

Steps:

• Whisk together the sugar, pectin, and salt in a medium pot or saucepan. Slowly whisk in the grape juice and bring to a full, rolling boil. Reduce the heat and cook at a low boil for 2 minutes to activate the pectin and turn the juice into a beautiful jelly. Your kitchen will begin to smell like grape-flavored bubble gum. This is a good sign.
• Once the pectin has been activated and coats the back of a spoon, remove the jelly from the heat. The jelly can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

CONCORD GRAPE JAM

Steps:

• Wash and stem grapes.
• Place in a large stainless or enamel pot.
• With a potato masher or wooden spoon mash grapes.
• Bring to a gentle boil and reduce heat to an "active" simmer.
• Simmer 10 minutes-you want to be able to crush the center of grapes easily with a wooden spoon-no bouncing back.
• Run the grapes through a food mill to remove seeds.
• Return pulp to the saucepan.
• Bring to a boil and stir in honey.
• Stir often to prevent scorching.
• After about 10 minutes you should not be able to stir down the boil.
• Test for gel point.
• Jelly/puree will begin to darken and thicken up.
• This should take around 15 to 20 minutes from the boil point, but alot depends on the amount of juice your grapes are holding-you could go up to 35 minutes.
• Ladle into clean hot sterile jars leaving 1/4 inch head space, and seal.
• Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.