𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟗: 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐨𝐭 𝐣𝐚𝐦
The next day, I started making snacks a little earlier than usual.
・・・
『”𝔸𝕨𝕖𝕓𝕤𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕤.𝕔𝕠𝕞” – 𝔻𝕚𝕤𝕔𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕒 𝕔𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕚𝕧𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕨𝕠𝕣𝕝𝕕 𝕠𝕗 𝕝𝕠𝕧𝕖, 𝕡𝕒𝕤𝕤𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕒𝕕𝕧𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕦𝕣𝕖, 𝕨𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕔𝕒𝕟 𝕚𝕟𝕕𝕦𝕝𝕘𝕖 𝕚𝕟 𝕒 𝕔𝕠𝕝𝕝𝕖𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕣a𝕟𝕤𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝𝕤 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 “𝕕𝕒𝕚𝕝𝕪 𝕦𝕡𝕕𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕤” 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕖𝕩𝕔𝕝𝕦𝕤𝕚𝕧𝕖 𝕒𝕔𝕔𝕖𝕤𝕤 𝕥𝕠 “𝕒𝕕𝕧𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕖𝕕 𝕔𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤”.』
・・・
After seeing their reaction yesterday, I thought I should make more than planned. I decided to prepare three times the amount, thinking that double the amount from yesterday wouldn’t be enough.
I left the fruit sauce to the two of them and cast the strengthening enchantment magic with determination.
I diligently kneaded and finally breathed a sigh of relief when the piled-up ice cream was completed.
However, just like yesterday, most of it was devoured by the two who came to the kitchen.
Fortunately, Migi-san and Hidari-san’s portions were saved, but there was naturally nothing left for tomorrow.
Demon King-sama left a terrifying mutter, saying, “Tomorrow, there should be even more.” Tyran-san muttered, “Not enough. . .not enough. . .”
After the two left, I gaze into the distance, wondering if I should make a larger quantity tomorrow.
Then, Migi-san and Hidari-san placed their hands on my shoulders.
“Tomorrow, we will help too.”
“Huh?”
“We’re not confident in mixing the ingredients, but we can knead. Let’s do our best together.”
“Migi-san, Hidari-san. . .Thank you.”
Tears welled up at the visit of reinforcements. But I soon learned about their desires.
“Since the workload has decreased, not to a third, but let’s make even more.”
“We want to eat more too.”
“And making jam is quite a task.”
“Oh, right. Jam!”
I completely forgot about it, only thinking about the ice cream.
It’s not as difficult as making ice cream, but it takes a little time.
As I informed Demon King-sama, apricot jam needs to be left overnight. If I forget, the day when I can eat as much as I forgot will become more distant.
“The apricots have already arrived.”
“May I watch?”
“Of course.”
The two of them head to the pantry and come back each carrying a wooden crate.
“For now, I brought two crates, how much should we use?”
“You can use all of it.”
“Um, then about one kilogram.”
“Is that enough?”
“If you like it, I might make more.”
“I see. Oh, I also brought the jars.”
“Thank you.”
Jam is often made when there is a large amount of bruised fruit to be consumed.
In my previous life, it was when there were irregular products or a large harvest, and seasonal fruits were always on sale, so I always bought a lot.
The jam I made was used for making sweets or given to family and acquaintances.
I used to make apricot jam a lot in the summer. There was a tree at my grandfather’s house, and he sent them to me every year.
When I was a child, I made it with my mother, and even after I started living alone, I made it every year. It brings back memories.
In this world with preservation magic, or rather in the Demon King’s Castle, there is no need to hurry to make it.
It’s better to make a slightly larger amount than what you want to eat when you want to eat it.
While the jars are being sterilized by boiling them in hot water, I ask the two of them to wash the apricots and wipe off the moisture.
I make a cut along the seam of the cleaned apricots and remove the seeds. Then, I cut them in half.
Half of the weight at this time will be the amount of sugar used this time.
It’s okay to adjust it slightly according to personal preference, but be careful not to make it too sweet based on the weight including the seeds.
I layer the apricots in a pot, sprinkle sugar, and repeat the process.
Leave it as it is until the moisture comes out. About thirty minutes or so. If you’re worried, you can leave it longer.
Once the moisture comes out, heat the pot and bring it to a boil.
Lightly remove the scum that floats to the surface. Then, the two of them who were watching beside me raised their voices, “Um. . .”
“Don’t you remove all the scum? Master taught us to always remove the scum. . .”
“It depends on the ingredients used. Some ingredients may have a bitter taste if you don’t remove it, but sometimes the scum is part of the flavor of the ingredients. Well, some people say that removing it gives a cleaner and safer result, so it’s a matter of preference. I do it moderately.”
“I see.”
“It’s a learning experience.”
After simmering for a while, cover the pot with a cloth and then with a lid.
Leave it in the refrigerator overnight in this state.
In the small refrigerator I used when I lived alone in my previous life, I couldn’t put a pot in it.
So I had to transfer it to a bowl and put it back in the pot in the morning.
But the large refrigerator in the Demon King’s Castle is spacious, and even a slightly larger pot fits perfectly. It seems like another one could fit.
Not only are the cooking utensils well-equipped, but having space in the refrigerator is very much appreciated.
When I woke up in the morning, I took out the ingredients from the refrigerator and put them on the fire to simmer. I stop when it becomes slightly thickened.
I scoop a ladleful onto a plate, and transfer the remaining portion into a jar.
After that, I just let it cool slowly.
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