Lilac Jelly

Lilac jelly captures the essence and color of beautiful lilac blossoms and is a wonderful way to enjoy these lightly fragrant edible flowers.

This recipe makes 6 half pint jars of jelly.

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Canning Time 10 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Servings 48 servings

Calories 29kcal

Equipment

• Quart Mason Jar

• Fine Mesh Sieve

• Cheesecloth

• Small Bowl

• Medium Pot

• Stirring Spoon

• Ladle

• Half Pint Jars or Half Pint Weck Jars

• Water Bath Canner

• Canning Utensils

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

Lilac Tea

▢ 4 cups boiling water

▢ 4 cups fresh lilac flowers

▢ 5-6 frozen blueberries or blackberries optional

Lilac Jelly

▢ 1 Tbsp + ½ tsp calcium water see instructions below for more info

▢ ½ cup lemon juice

▢ 1¾ cup sugar

▢ 1 Tbsp + ½ tsp Pamona's Pectin

Instructions

Lilac Tea

• Wash the lilac flowers if needed, and pick the flowers by hand or with scissors to remove them from the stems. Fill about 4 cups full of blossoms.

• Place the lilacs into a heat-safe quart jar.

• Optional: Add 5-6 frozen blueberries or blackberries to make the jelly purple.

• Once you have filled your quart jar with loosely packed fresh lilac flowers, pour the boiling water over them to make the tea infusion.

• Cover the jar and allow it to cool to room temperature on the counter. Then, place it in the refrigerator and let it steep for 8 hours or overnight.

Lilac Jelly

• First, prepare the calcium water by combining ½ tsp of calcium powder (from the Pamona's Pectin package) with ½ cup water in a small jar. Shake well. Any extra calcium water can be stored in the refrigerator for future use.

• Place the jars in a large pot with enough water to cover them. Bring the water to a boil, then turn off the heat and keep the jars in the hot water until it is time to use them.

• Place the lids and bands in a small pot and heat to a low boil, then turn the heat off and keep them in the hot water until ready to use.

• Using a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth, strain the lilac tea and compost the spent lilacs.

• Pour 4 cups of lilac tea into a medium saucepan. If necessary, add a small amount of water to bring the tea up to meet this measurement.

• Add 1 Tbsp + ½ tsp of the calcium water and lemon juice, and mix well.

• In a small bowl, mix the sugar and pectin together until thoroughly combined. Set aside.

• Heat the jelly in a pot until it comes to a full boil. Add the pectin-sugar mixture and stir vigorously for 1-2 minutes until the jelly comes back up to a boil.

• Once the jelly returns to a boil, remove it from the heat.

• Fill the hot jars with the jelly leaving ¼ inch of space at the top. Wipe the rims clean, and pop any bubbles as necessary. Cover the jars with a lid and ring.

• To can, place the filled jars in boiling water to cover. Boil for 10 minutes (add 1 minute for every 1,000 feet above sea level).

• Remove from the water and let the jars cool, then check to make sure they are sealed.

• Eat within a year. Once opened, the jelly lasts 3 weeks in the refrigerator.

Notes

• Make sure the water is boiling when you pour it over the fresh lilacs for the tea. If the water is cooler than boiling, the lilacs won't release their color and will smell slightly spoiled. Have the jar of petals ready and pour the boiling water right from the stove into the jar. 

• It's best to make lilac jelly in single batches. Trying to double or triple a batch will risk losing the color or flavor and the quality of the jelly. 

• Note that Pamona's Universal Pectin comes with the calcium powder needed to make this low-sugar lilac jelly.