Red-Currant Jelly

To twelve pounds of ripe red currants add four pounds of ripe white currants; put these into a copper preserving-pan; add a quart of water, bruise them with the hands, and as you get a handful of stalks, throw them away; when the fruit is bruised, stir it on the fire until it begins to boil, and then press it in one of Adams' Fruit Pressers (see Adams' Illustrations). Weigh the juice, and for every pound add three-quarters of a pound of sugar; and when the sugar is thoroughly dissolved in the currant juice, stir it on the fire till it boils; skim it well; slacken the fire a little to prevent the jelly from boiling over, and when you find that it hangs and drapes on the edge of the skimmer as you hold it up out of the boiling jelly, it may then be removed from the fire, skimmed, poured into gallipots, and put away in the larder for two days, to become thoroughly set: at the end of this time the pots are to be covered with small rounds of white paper dipped in brandy, and again tied down with another covering of paper or of bladder: the latter keeps out the damp.

Note.—Remember that preserved jellies and jams must be kept in a dry, cool atmosphere.