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Barberry jelly

Barberry jelly from Erken's Stor kokebok (1914): crushed barberries steep for 1–2 days in cognac, are strained, and the juice is cooked with 1 kg sugar per liter for about 30 minutes until the jelly sets.

Source: Henriette Schønberg Erken, Stor kokebok, 1914-utg. s. 584 (falt i det fri)

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About the dish

Barberry (Berberis vulgaris) was common in Norwegian gardens and hedges in Erken's day, but the shrub was often eradicated because it is a host plant for grain rust. The berries are very tart and rich in acid, and therefore make a jelly that sets easily without added gelling agent.

How to make it

  1. 1

    Steep the berries in cognac

    Wash the berries, crush them, and place them in a jar. Pour the cognac over them, cover, and let stand for 1–2 days.

  2. 2

    Strain the juice

    Strain everything through a jelly bag without pressing. Measure the juice; allow 1 kg of sugar for each liter of juice.

  3. 3

    Cook the jelly

    Pour the water over the sugar in a wide pot and set it over the heat. Once the sugar has melted, add the juice.

  4. 4

    Simmer and skim

    Let the jelly simmer for about 30 minutes, skimming well the whole time. Test the jelly by dripping a little onto a cold plate — it should set once cooled.

  5. 5

    Fill the glasses

    Fill the jelly into small, clean glasses or cups and cover.

Changes from the original

Measures are converted to modern units (deciliters, grams). The amount of sugar is given based on the expected juice yield, and the old "asjet" (small plate) is replaced with a cold plate. Otherwise unchanged.

Time machine – what changed?

Pick two editions and see what Henriette Schønberg Erken added, removed or changed between them.

From19141949Modernised
To19141949Modernised
1949 (proofread, p. 702) → Modernised~89% of the text changedremovedadded
x kg. bær 1 del. konjakk sukker kg berberisbær. 1 dl konjakk. 2 del. dl vann. Bærene vaskes, knuses, has 1 kg sukker (per liter silt saft). Vask bærene, knus dem og legg dem i krukke, påhelles en krukke. Hell over konjakken, tildekkes, står i 1 å 2 døgn. Siles gjennem geléeposen. Saften måles, dekk til og la stå 1–2 døgn.. Sil alt gjennom en geléspose uten å presse. Mål opp saften; regn 1 kg sukker til hver liter saft tas 1 kg. sukker. Sukkeret påhelles vannet, settes saft.. Hell vannet over varmen, sukkeret i en vid kjele og når sett over varmen. Når sukkeret er smeltet, has saften i. Geléen småkoker, til den tilsettes saften.. La geleen småkoke i ca. 30 minutter og skum godt hele tiden. Prøv geleen ved avkjøling stivner å dryppe litt på en asjett. Skummes godt kald tallerken – den hele tid. Til kokingen medgår ca. ¾ time. Geléen fylles skal stivne når den er avkjølt.. Fyll geleen i kopper. små, rene glass eller kopper og dekk til.

Note on Modernised

Mål er omregnet til moderne enheter (desiliter, gram). Mengden sukker er angitt ut fra forventet saftutbytte, og «asjet» er erstattet med kald tallerken. Ellers uendret.

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Frequently asked questions

How long must the barberries stand before straining?
The berries are washed, crushed, and placed in a jar with 1 deciliter of cognac. Covered, they stand for 1–2 days (hence the long total time) before being strained through a jelly bag.
How much sugar should I use?
The juice is measured after straining, and you allow 1 kg of sugar per liter of juice. The sugar is poured over 2 dl of water and melted over the fire before the juice is added.
How long should the jelly cook, and how do I know it is done?
The jelly simmers for about half an hour, skimmed well the whole time. It is done when a drop sets on a small plate once cooled. It is then filled into cups.
Where does the recipe come from?
From Henriette Schønberg Erken's Stor kokebok (1914), page 584.

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