Lavender Jelly

By MJH

This exotic and gorgeously pretty lavender jelly will truly delight your taste buds with pleasure. This jelly would be wonderful served as a dessert with ice cream, pudding, or cream. It can also be served as an unusual accompaniment to meats, such as lamb or poultry. How about serving it over brie cheese as a wonderful appetizer?

Ingredients

• Equipment Needed:
• 3 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 cup dried lavender flowers
• Juice of 1 lemon (approximately 1/4 cup)
• 1 (1 3/4-ounces) box powdered Pectin or 1 pouch (3-ounces) liquid pectin*
• 4 cups granulated sugar
• Large boiling water canning pot with rack
• 6 to 8-quart non-reactive saucepan
• Canning jars
• Lids with rings - Rings are metal bands that secure the lids to the jars. The rings may be reused many times, but the lids only once.
• Jar Grabber
• Jar Funnel
• Large spoon and ladle
• Jelly Bag or cheesecloth-lined sieve

Details

Servings 5
Preparation time 20mins
Cooking time 50mins
Adapted from whatscookingamerica.net

Preparation

Step 1

Preparing the equipment:
Before you start preparing your Lavender jelly, place canner rack in the bottom of a boiling water canner.

Fill the canner half full with clean warm water for a canner load of pint jars.

For other sizes and numbers of jars, you will need to adjust the amount of water so it will be 1 to 2 inches over the top of the filled jars.

Wash jars, lids, and rings in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water.

Sanitize the jars, lids, and rings.

Never plunge room temperature jars into rapid boiling water or they may crack.

Place the jars in a large pot.

Add 1-inch of water to the bottom, cover securely, and bring to a boil for 10 minutes.

Keep the jars, lids, and rings in the hot water until they are ready to by used.

Preparing the lavender jelly:
In a large saucepan over high heat, bring water just to a boil.

Remove from heat, stir in dried lavender flowers, and let steep for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, strain mixture into a deep kettle or pot, discarding the lavender flowers.

Stir in lemon juice and pectin; continue stirring until the pectin is dissolved.

Over high heat, bring the mixture to a boil; add sugar.

When the jelly solution returns to a hard rolling boil, let it boil for 2 to 4 minutes (see below), stirring occasionally.

Boil Times:
2 minutes - soft gel
4 minutes - medium gel

Testing for "jell" thickness - Keep a metal tablespoon sitting in a glass of ice water, then take a half spoonful of the mix and let it cool to room temperature on the spoon.

If it thickens up to the consistency you like, then you know the jelly is ready.

If not, mix in a little more pectin (about 1 teaspoon to 1/2 of another package) and bring it to a boil again for 1 minute.

Processing the jelly:
Place jars on the elevated canner rack.

Lower rack into the canner with the hot water.

Add more boiling water, if needed, so the water level is at least 1 inch above the jar tops.

Pour the water around the jars and not directly onto them.

Cover the canner with a lid. Process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes (start time when the water returns to a boil).