Lemon Balm Jelly
Lemon balm jelly has a light citrus flavor, with notes of honey.
Servings: 48 servings, Makes about 4 to 5 jars (8 oz each)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 cups lemon balm leaves harvested and cleaned
- 1 box powdered pectin 1.75 oz pectin, 6 Tbsp. (regular or low sugar)
- 1 to 4 cups Sugar 1 to 4 cups, depending on preference
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 4 cups water
Instructions
- Start by sterilizing your jars right before beginning your jelly-making. This will simplify the process.
- Gather your lemon balm leaves from a safe, clean environment that is free of pesticides and other harmful pollutants. You’ll need roughly a quart of leaves.
- Clean your leaves of any dirt, residue, or remaining insects.
- Place the cleaned lemon balm leaves in a heat-safe container and add 4 cups of boiling water. Steep for 10 to 20 minutes.
- Strain the leaves from the steeped tea and add the liquid to a large saucepan or jam pot. Add the lemon juice.
- Bring the mixture to a boil and add in the pectin. Stir to incorporate and boil for one full minute.
- After one full minute is passed, add in your sugar and stir. Boil for another full minute, then remove from heat.
- Ladle into prepared jars leaving ¼ inch headspace. If canning, process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes (or 15 minutes if above 6,000 feet in elevation).
Notes
Sugar Amounts
As long as you use low-sugar pectin (such as Sure Jel Low Sugar), you can use anywhere from 1 to 4 cups of sugar in this recipe. Understandably, that is a bit of a wide range – if unsure of how much to add, try 2 to 3 cups of sugar and adjust future recipes to taste! If using regular Sure-Jell pectin, you’ll need to add the full 4 cups of sugar since this particular pectin requires a 1:1 water-to-sugar ratio.Nutrition
Calories: 68kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 0.01g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.001g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.001g | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 1mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 0.1IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 0.04mg