Hedgerow Jelly: a recipe from the wild places
This recipe uses water bath canning to preserve the jellies. Need a canning guide?
Ingredients
Wildflower Infustion:
- Gather at least four cups of fresh, edible wildflowers, or
- Gather around two cups of dried flowers
- 4 cups of water
The Jelly:
- 3 cups of the strained wildflower infusion
- 3 1/2 cups of sugar
- Juice of 1 lime (or lemon)
- Splash of Orange Blossom Water (optional)
- 6 tablespoons of pectin (I used Ball RealFruitTM Classic Pectin)
Instructions
- Start with a wildflower infusion. Put your flowers into a pot on the stove and add four cups of water. Allow it to just barely come to a boil, turn off the heat, cover it with a lid, and let it steep for an hour. Strain the liquid with cheesecloth or coffee filters to ensure that all the hidden buggies and petals are out of the liquid. Measure and put aside three cups of this flower infusion.
- Pour the three cups of infusion into a medium-sized cooking pot and turn it up to a medium-high heat.
- Add the lime juice and the pectin to the pot. Stir the mixture well, and often.
- Pull out your jars, lids, and rings to dry while you allow the pot to come to a full, rolling boil.
- Add the sugar and stir constantly until it returns to a rolling boil. Let it boil for one minute, and remove from heat.
- Pour or ladle the very hot jelly into the jars carefully.
- Wipe the rim with a clean cloth, and top each one with a sterilized lid.
- Process your jars as you wish. I use a hot water bath using the instructions given in the pectin box. Make sure to follow the instructions carefully, including adding extra time due to your altitude! My jars were in for ten minutes instead of five.
- Label, date, and enjoy your delicate jelly of spring and summer flavors all year long!
Notes
This is fantastic on an english muffin at tea time. It is divine when spread on buttery crackers and paired with a strong sheep or goat’s milk cheese. Roll it into crepes or slather onto hot, buttered toast.
