As I mentioned in my post about The Bizarre Jaboticaba Tree, we had lots of fruit to use up which needed to be used up quickly as it should be eaten within a couple of days of picking. I had a look on various blogs for recipes and it seemed that it was commonly made into jelly, jam or wine so I chose to make up a few bottles of jelly even though I had never made jelly in my life before.
One of the blogs I found a recipe on was Weka Weka Farm and I roughly followed the directions there as they were fairly clear to a newbie jelly maker.
My husband had picked about 3 1/2 kg jaboticaba fruit which was washed and put into a large saucepan with a heavy bottom to which were added...
...a couple of lemons and cut up apples.
The mixture was boiled for 20 minutes then was mashed then...
...boiled for another 20 minutes...
...then strained through muslin.
Once strained a cup of sugar to each cup of juice was added and boiled until set using the saucer in the freezer trick to get the 'correct wrinkle'.
It didn't turn out too badly for my first try although the garden CEO said I should have added pectin but it wasn't runny as far as I was concerned and tasted quite nice with an unusual flavour. I am not a big fan of making jams and jellies due to the fact that so much sugar is added but figured that this was a one-off experience and we didn't want the fruit to go to waste.
Jacobitaba fruit has an unusual but pleasant taste. If you have room to grow a tree, give it a try and I am sure you won't be disappointed. Just be patient and it will give you fruit in abundance a couple of times a year although you might have to fight the birds to get to the fruit first.
Have you ever seen a jaboticaba tree and tasted its fruit?
UPDATE: The closing date for the Australian Wildlife book giveaway has been extended to the 30th June. Everyone is welcome to enter including overseas readers.
Thanks Nanna Chel. I will try this Jelly. I made the jam but even with pectin it is still not really firm...great with yoghurt though :)
ReplyDeleteI will tell the CEO about that as he was complaining that it was too runny and needed pectin :-)
DeleteGlad you jelly making was a success.
ReplyDeleteDeb, I didn't mention about the red juice running down the cupboard doors when I was pouring it into the saucepan and bottles. LOL!
DeleteHi Chel,
ReplyDeleteI am getting your blogs into my inbox again! Jaboticaba is something new to me . Sounds so intriguing. I love the way they "hang" on the tree :) This is the first I have heard of them.
Vicki, I don't know why you stopped receiving the notifications. Technology!!! Yes, the tree is certainly unusual and I have never seen fruit growing like that before. Quite bizzare!
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed reading your blog. Can this tree be grown from seed. Just got some fruit from a farmer in Cameron Highlands, Malaysia who got them from someone else. She has not seen the tree. In the Klang Valley in Malaysia, temperatures are around 30 degrees of late. We get a lot of sun and I'm wondering whether such amazing trees will survive our weather.
ReplyDeleteMy husband bought a seedling many years ago and it takes a long time to fruit. I imagine it would grow in Malaysia. You can find some more information on Daleys' Fruit Tree Nursery website http://www.daleysfruit.com.au/Jaboticaba-Tree.htm. Hope this helps.
ReplyDeleteHi Nana Chel,
ReplyDeleteI have just purchased a Japotica tree, well sapling really, and know it takes a long while for it to fruit, how long did yours take? I love the way the fruit grows along the branches.
Fi
Hi Fiona, I just had a look at Daley's Fruit Tree Nursery and they say cropping can start after 5 years. To be honest I never even knew we had a Jaboticaba until a couple of years ago as my hubby planted it 'down the back' near the fence line where I rarely walk in case there are any nasties in the grass :-) The tree has been there for over 30 years and he can't remember when it started fruiting. It is easy to miss the blossoms coming on as you have to get right under our tree to spot them. It may not be so difficult with a younger tree though. I hope you enjoy the fruit. It is quite unusual.
ReplyDelete