Elderflower Jelly
Capture the essence of elderflower blossoms in this beautiful floral jelly.
Servings: 48 servings, about 5 to 6 half-pint jars
Equipment
- Canning Jars, Lids and Bands
Ingredients
For the Elderflower Tea
- 2 to 4 cups fresh elderflower blossoms de-stemmed, green parts removed
- 4 cups water
For the Jelly
- 4 cups elderflower tea strained
- 1/4 cup bottled lemon juice or 1 teaspoon citric acid
- 1 box powdered pectin 1.75 oz, regular, such as Sure-Jell original or 6 Tbsp bulk pectin
- 5 cups granulated sugar
Instructions
- Bring the water to a boil and pour it over the elderflower blossoms in a heatproof container, pushing them down until submerged. Steep 10 to 15 minutes.
- Strain the tea through a fine mesh strainer into a saucepan. Measure, adding water if needed to reach the full amount of tea called for.
- Stir the lemon juice into the elderflower tea. Whisk in the powdered pectin until dissolved, then bring to a full rolling boil over medium-high heat and boil hard for 1 minute.
- Add all the sugar at once and stir to dissolve. Return to a full rolling boil for exactly 1 minute, then remove from heat and skim off any foam.
- Ladle hot jelly into prepared jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rims, center lids, and apply bands fingertip-tight.
- Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Turn off heat and let jars rest 5 minutes before removing. Cool undisturbed 12 to 24 hours before checking seals.
Notes
Elderflower Varieties: Use only blue or black elder, which have edible flowers and berries. Avoid red elder, which is toxic. Watch out for wild valerian, a non-toxic but sedative look-alike that blooms at the same time.
Harvest Safely: Pick only blossoms you've correctly identified, from plants free of pesticides and road spray. Remove all green stems and leaves, and give the flowers a gentle shake to clear out insects.
Use Bottled Lemon Juice: Bottled lemon juice has the consistent acidity that makes this jelly safe to can. Use the full amount and don't swap in fresh or cut it back. Citric acid works as a substitute at 1 teaspoon for the 1/4 cup of lemon juice.
Don't Double the Batch: Pectin jellies set on a precise ratio, and doubling often keeps them from gelling. Make batches one at a time instead.
Give It Time to Set: This jelly can take 24 to 48 hours to firm up. If it's still loose the next day, hold off on re-cooking and check the troubleshooting guide first.
Low Sugar Option: For a less sweet jelly, use Sure-Jell Low Sugar or Pomona's Universal Pectin and follow the package directions for mint jelly. With Pomona's, increase the lemon juice to 1/2 cup, since it lacks the added citric acid other pectins have. Reducing sugar lowers the yield.
Make the Tea Ahead: The strained elderflower tea can be refrigerated for a day or two before you turn it into jelly, which lets you split the work over two sessions.
Storage: Sealed, processed jars keep on the pantry shelf for 12 to 18 months. Without canning, refrigerate for up to 3 weeks or freeze for up to 6 months. Refrigerate after opening.
Altitude Adjustments: 0 to 6,000 feet: 10 minutes. Above 6,000 feet: 15 minutes.
Nutrition
Serving: 1Tbsp | Calories: 84kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 0.01g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.001g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.001g | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 2mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 0.1IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 0.04mg