As always my greatest challenge with making jams and jellies is getting the damn things to set. You see I refuse, I just REFUSE to use jamsetter. I see it as an additive, and if my English Grandmother could do without it, then so can I.
Strawberry guava jelly is notoriously difficult to get to set. Being a life long adherent of Doing Things The Hard Way, for my first batch I ignored all the people on the internet and made the jelly in the usual jelly making way with just the guavas.
It did kind-of set, and it is delicious, but you sort of have to fold your toast in half and eat it in one mouthful if you don't want it down your front.
Batch 2 set like a dream because I added apples (so its strictly guava and apple jelly). Adding apples sets almost anything because of the high amount of pectin they have.
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| Strawberry guavas about to be transformed |
Strawberry guavas
Apples - half the amount of guavas you have (eg 1kg guavas then 500g apples)
Lemon zest
Sugar - 3/4 to 1 cup of sugar per cup of juice you end up with (eg, 4 cups juice needs 3 - 4 cups sugar)
Method:
- Wash guavas, chop apples
- Put in pan, cover with water
- Boil until fruit is mush, squishing with spoon
- Strain juice through two layers of muslin, or a teatowel or whatever, just make sure it doesn't let any bits through
- Give left over fruit mush to chooks
- Add sugar
- Boil until it reaches 105 degrees celsius - this could take a while, and don't stir too much
- Let cool slightly
- Pour into warm sterilised jam jars and seal
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| Ready for afternoon snacks on toast, and gifts for friends |
Total cost: $1.97 for the sugar, $1.50 for the apples
:)
:)
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I agree Jamsetta is like cheating as well, I was going to suggest adding some apple but you already have, sometimes just some apple peelings and cores will do the trick, I also started using a thermometer to correctly judge the setting point (instead of the jelly on the saucer) and had more success with that. Yummo I haven't had guava jelly in years although the last time I made it I ended up with guava toffee :( it still tasted very nice although very chewy.
The color is gorgeous. I bet it is delicious.
I love the colour of it too; so warm and rich
Oh no, Guava toffee! Interesting to hear about just using the cores and peelings, will try that next batch. Yeah, I have had much much more success now I have a thermometer, not only in jam making but yoghurt making and soap making as well. Did drop thermometer in milk the other day though, still kind of works, but time for a new one I think.
yummy yummy. you are so clever.
I would trade some of my veggies for a bottle of your yummy jelly. I wish we have strawberry guava too!
That does look delicious! I've never heard of strawberry guavas before. We used to have a pineapple guava tree at our old place (unfortunately, I killed it somehow), and my daughter who was in first grade at the time wrote about it at school, tried to correct her from saying 'we have a pineapple guava tree', to 'we have a pineapple tree and a guava tree' lol.
I was a little the same when I first read this, I'm all, 'where's the strawberries in the recipe?' LOL. I wonder if we could grow something like this where we live
That should've said, the teacher tried to correct her. Brain fart:P
My mouth is watering. Yum!
LOL, Thanks Jillian :)
The whole pineapple, strawberry, guava thing is so confusing. I've been caught out by it as well :)
According to the diggers book (http://www.diggers.com.au) Strawberry guava (psidium littorale var. longipes) grows from tropical climate down to ones that have heavy frost, and are tough-as once established. Mum was muttering that they are a native plant, but I'm not sure about that one.
Dear Caitlyn, I have a huge strawberry guava bush in the garden all full of fruit. Complete failure to jelly so far, created sauce - that is all. Will try your method, perhaps a few quinces (the big yellow apple-like fruit if I find any, it is delicious and jellies really well) instead of apple for the next batch. Cheers, Beatrix Vant, Victoria Australia - will let you know how it went in a few days (I refuse settling agents as well!) Im on Facebook - the no picture one with Beatrix Vant. Wish me luck!
Looking forward to hearing how it goes. Another commenter suggested you don't need the whole apple, just skin and cores - going to try that next time - which might be next year, possums have discovered mumndads tree. Good luck :)
Dear Caitlyn, Syrup, syrup, syrup! :(((
Heavy artillery coming tomorrow in the form of 5kg quinces (spelling?)....
Beatrix
Hi Wendy,
Add the zest before straining. You want a clear jelly at the end. Good luck
Cait :)
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