If you bought – or are thinking about buying – some Clear-Jel to make fruit pie fillings for the freezer, you’ll want to know that this modified cornstarch thickening agent can also be used to make fruit glazes (and leather), fruit spreads and fruit drops.
Clear-Jel is available ($2 for a 1-pound package) at the Washington State University Extension, 306 S. First St., Mount Vernon. Cooks who have used this product before stock up this time of year, so there could be a wait of a week or two before a new shipment comes in.
Now for the recipes:
Fruit glaze (or leather)
23/4cups fruit juice
1/4cup plus 1 tablespoon Clear-Jel
3/4cup sugar (optional)
2teaspoons lemon juice
Mix sugar and Clear-Jel. If sugar is omitted, mix Clear-Jel with a small amount of cold fruit juice. Add Clear-Jel mixture to fruit juice in a heavy kettle. Cook over medium heat until mixture thickens and comes to a boil, stirring constantly. Add lemon juice and boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and serve hot or cold.
The fruit glaze is good for cake fillings, icing, shortcake, ice cream toppings, fruit salad dressings, pancake or waffle syrup. The glaze can also be dried for fruit leather, a fruity snack.
Fruit spreads
1/4cup plus 1 tablespoon Clear-Jel
1/2-1cup sugar (more or less depending on sweetness desired)
2cups crushed fruit or juice
1tablespoon bottled lemon juice
Mix sugar and Clear-Jel. If sugar is omitted, mix Clear-Jel with a small amount of cold fruit juice in a blender. Add Clear-Jel mixture to fruit or juice in a large saucepan. Cook over high heat until mixture thickens and comes to a boil, stirring constantly. Add lemon juice and boil for 1 minute. Pour into pint or half-pint jars, cool and refrigerate.
Note: If the mixture is too thick, add a small amount of juice; if too thin, mix a little more Clear-Jel with a small amount of cold juice and add to mixture; bring to a boil. The spread will thicken as it cooks and not thicken much more when cooled. You can gauge the thickness as the fruit spread is cooking.
Fruit drops
1/4cup plus 2 teaspoons Clear-Jel (see note)
1/2cup sugar (optional)
11/3cups fruit juice or puree
1tablespoon bottled lemon juice
Mix sugar and Clear-Jel. If sugar is omitted, mix Clear-Jel with a small amount of cold fruit juice. Add Clear-Jel mixture to fruit juice or puree in a heavy kettle. Cook over medium heat until mixture thickens and comes to a boil, stirring constantly. Add lemon juice. Boil 1 minute. The microwave can be used to cook mixture. Microwave 5 to 6 minutes on high power. Stir once or twice as mixture thickens.
Cool mixture by placing pan or microwave container containing the filling in a sink with cold water; stir filling to cool it down. Spoon mixture into cake decorator cones made from waxed paper. Drop fruit-gel onto plastic-covered drying trays lightly oiled or sprayed with cooking spray. Dry drops in food dehydrator or in a warm oven. If drying in an electric oven, prop the door open with a pot holder. To speed up the drying process, turn drops over halfway through the drying process.
Note: The amount of Clear-Jel will vary with the type of juice you use. If the mixture is too thick, add a small amount of juice; if too thin, mix a little more Clear-Jel with a small amount of cold juice or water and add to mixture and cook until mixture thickens.
The next Forum will appear in Friday’s Time Out section.
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