Pectin makin’

Posted on August 15, 2007 | 9 Comments


Had a lovely visit with a new blog friend named Laura a few days ago. She lives in East Oakland and has a rad garden! I love going to other people’s gardens. They’re such an expression of the person. And it’s a good way to get ideas! She’s hell-bent on getting blueberries, so she bought containers for the bushes–all producing fruit at different times. They require acid soil, so we mixed up some bark, sphagum moss, and potting soil. I just might have to copy her idea!
Then we culled apples and chatted. Laura has a young apple pectin recipe, so I took home a bucket of the little apples. I’m hoping to get around to it today. The book says to core and quarter the apples, boil them with water, strain, then boil with more water–anyone ever made it before? Thanks Laura!

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9 responses to “Pectin makin’”

  1. Unknown's avatar laura | August 16, 2007 at 7:35 pm |

    Thanks again for your help, Novella! I forgot to give you a few things (cukes, the Cleveland sage). I’ll have avocados for you by the end of the week. I really enjoyed meeting you!
    Laura

  2. Unknown's avatar Rhetta | August 16, 2007 at 9:05 pm |

    Found your blog today while looking for a recipe. I tried making my own pectin this season with little green apples. The pectin is still liquid which I hope is OK but it looks beautiful. I used a recipe from Christine Ferbers book “Mes Confitures”. I am hoping that when I make a recipe needing pectin, these little jars do the job. Good Luck!!

  3. Unknown's avatar Tara | August 17, 2007 at 5:33 am |

    Hilarious–I am making the very same ‘pectin stock’ as we speak. If you get just over 3 lbs of the green apples and make the recipe a la Ferber, as the other poster mentioned (it’s just the apples, sugar, and lemon juice), you’ll have enough ‘stock’ for at least six recipes. Economical, huh? Note that the set of your preserves will be very soft, which a lot of American canners don’t like.

  4. Unknown's avatar Riana | August 17, 2007 at 1:53 pm |

    I was just thinking I need to make some pectin. Hope it turns out good. I am making goats milk yogurt and it needs something to make it stay thick. I am using agar agar this time, but would love to have some pectin on hand for the next batch.

  5. Unknown's avatar Tara | August 17, 2007 at 11:19 pm |

    Riana,

    I don’t think adding this pectin stock, which is basically just apple jelly, to goat yogurt would get a desired result (if that’s what you meant). Our local goat dairy has a handy goat-yogurt recipe, however, that suggests using tapioca as a thickener: http://www.redwoodhill.com/recipes/
    to_make_goat_milk_yogurt_at_home.html

    Hope that helps.

  6. Unknown's avatar Novella Carpenter | August 18, 2007 at 8:54 pm |

    must get my hands on Mes Confitures….okay, so now i’m motivated to finally cut the little guys up. as for texture, i much prefer liquid to rock hard.
    riana: i thought it’s just a matter of time–the longer you wait, the harder it gets?

  7. Unknown's avatar Sarah Beth Jones | August 21, 2007 at 11:32 am |

    I made the same apple jelly recipe but with a twist – one batch with refined sugar, one with cane. I cooked both longer than called for and did get a thicker result. The cane sugar batch is the most beautiful amber and I’m loving just eating it on cheese.

    Does anyone know how to sub green apple jelly for pectin in other recipes? Is it ounce for ounce for liquid pectin? Can you use it to replace powdered pectin?

  8. Unknown's avatar Riana | August 21, 2007 at 5:02 pm |

    tara–that site is amazing, yum. I almost got lost reading the goats milk gelato recipe. I have to make that!

    It did get really hard, Benji said that it tastes like goat cheese, which is good too. I added some dolce de leche swirled in and its heaven.

  9. Unknown's avatar beth | September 10, 2007 at 9:01 pm |

    I’ve never made a batch of pectin, but my favorite way of adding pectin to jellies is to just throw a quartered apple in the pot with the fruit. When the jelly is done, I take the apple out.

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