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Redbud Jelly
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5 from 2 votes

Redbud Jelly (& Syrup)

Redbud jelly is a delicious way to enjoy edible redbud flowers each spring.  These trees are not only beautiful, they're delicious! 
Prep Time1 day
Cook Time15 minutes
Canning Time (Optional)10 minutes
Total Time1 day 25 minutes
Author: Ashley Adamant

Ingredients

  • 4 cups redbud flower petals
  • 4 cups water
  • 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1 to 4 cups sugar amount varies depending on pectin used, see notes
  • 1 box 1.75 oz. pectin (Regular or Low Sugar, see notes)

Instructions

  • Place the clean, de-stemmed redbud flower blossoms into a quart-size jar.
  • Bring 4 cups of water to a boil using a microwave or stovetop. Carefully pour the boiling water into the jar containing the redbud flowers. 
  • Add the lemon juice to the flower/water mixture to encorage a color change while the tea is steeping.
  • Allow the flowers and water to steep for 24 hours, creating a redbud tea that should be a bright pink color when fully steeped.
  • Pre-measure the sugar and set it aside.
  • Use a fine strainer to capture the flower petals, or pour the tea through cheesecloth into a saucepan or jam pot. Squeeze the cheesecloth or allow as much liquid to drain through the strainer as possible.
  • Turn the burner to high heat and bring the mixture to a boil.
  • Slowly add the pectin, stirring to dissolve the powder.
  • Return the mixture to a boil and allow it to boil for one minute.
  • Continuing to stir, slowly add the pre-measured sugar to the mixture.
  • Again, bring the mixture back to a rolling boil, stirring while boiling for 1-2 minutes.
  • Ladle or pour the jelly into prepared jelly jars, leaving ¼” headspace, and wipe the rims of the jars with a clean cloth.
  • Affix the 2-part canning lid, and either proceed with the canning process or leave the jars to cool and set up for 24 hours. 
  • Store canned jelly in a cool, dry place for up to 18 months. Uncanned jelly can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 month or in the freezer for 6 months. For all jelly, refrigerate once opened.

Notes

Redbud Syrup

To make redbud syrup, follow the same instructions but skip adding pectin. The syrup can be stored in the refrigerator, or canned in a water bath canner following the same instructions. Don't skip the lemon juice, it's required for both color and preservation.

Sugar Amounts

When using standard pectin (such as regular Sure Jell pectin), you must use a 1:1 ratio of liquid to sugar. That means for 4 cups of redbud tea you will need to use 4 cups of sugar to get the jelly to set. This type of jelly is sometimes referred to as"old-fashioned" jelly and it's quite sweet. 
If you want to use less sugar, use low-sugar pectin instead of regular and add less sugar to the recipe (as little as 1-½ cups). I've been using Sure Jell low-sugar pectin (in the pink box) for almost all of my jelly-making and it's always been very dependable.
If using Pomona's Universal Pectin, another popular brand and type of pectin, the instructions are different as that is a 2-part low-sugar pectin. For this redbud jelly recipe, you'll want to follow the instructions provided in the Pomona's box for mint jelly.
*Lowering sugar will also lower yield, and the yield of 5 half-pints is for a full sugar recipe.
Finally, if using liquid pectin, the order in which the ingredients are added is different than in the methods I've talked about above (in this case, the pectin is added last, and the sugar first). Liquid pectin takes quite a bit of sugar to set (7 cups sugar to 4 cups liquid), which results in a super-sweet jelly. Because of the high sugar levels needed for the pectin to set, I don't use liquid pectin very often.