PEACH JELLY

Steps:

• Place the peaches and pits in a large, nonreactive pot, and using your hands, mash until no large pieces of fruit remain. Add enough water to keep the mixture from sticking (see page 295) and bring to a boil over high heat. Decrease the heat to low, and simmer until very juicy, about 20 minutes.
• Place the fruit in a jelly bag and place over a large bowl (see page 293). Let rest until all the liquid has drained, about 6 hours or overnight.
• When you are ready to make the jelly, place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet. Place several small plates in the freezer to use later to test the consistency of the jelly.
• Sterilize four 1/2-pint canning jars and lids in boiling water, following the manufacturer's instructions (or see Boiling-Water Canning, page 279). Remove the jars from the water and place upside down to drain on the prepared rack. Remove the lids from the water and dry with a clean towel. Turn the sterilized jars right side up on the rack, using tongs or a kitchen towel to protect your hands. When they are cool enough to handle, dry them with a clean towel. Set aside.
• Measure the amount of peach juice (you should have about 8 cups) and place it in a large nonreactive pot. Add 3/4 cup of sugar for each cup of peach juice, and the lemon juice.
• Follow the procedure for Raspberry Jam (page 289), including bringing the peach juice mixture to a boil and cooking until the mixture reaches the jelling point, preparing the canner, filling the jars and boiling them gently for 5 minutes, and checking that the seals on the jars are good. Store the unopened jars of jelly at room temperature for up to 1 year. Once the jar is opened, store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
• variation
• For refrigerator or freezer jam, transfer the mixture to sterilized freezer-safe plastic containers or freezer-safe jars with lids, leaving 1 inch of headroom. Freeze for up to 1 year or refrigerate for up to 1 month.
• fruit juice for jelly
• When preparing juice for jelly, water is needed to extract the fruit juice. Wash hard fruits like apples, peaches, and pears. Without peeling or coring, quarter the fruit and measure the quantity. Place in a large saucepan. For every 1 quart of fruit, add about 1 cup of water, or just enough to keep the fruit from sticking. Simmer over low heat until the fruit is soft. For soft fruits such as berries, add 1/2 cup of water per 1 quart of fruit and simmer until soft. Finally, berries vary in size and juiciness, so the yield will also vary. Simply stick to the rule of 3/4 cup of sugar (or 1 cup if you want it sweeter) per cup of juice.