Lilac Blossom Jelly

Turn those delicate pinkish-purple petals into a sweet, delicious treat! Lilac Blossom Jelly is prepared by steeping lilacs in water and straining the juice. Add in some sugar and pectic and in no time, you’ll be spreading this jelly onto your toast and scones. Actually, you might just want to spoon this fragrant jelly over everything!

The first summer we owned our home, we were excited to discover a crab apple tree in the backyard. We patiently waited until early September and picked all of the crab apples we could. I had full intentions of making Crab Apple Jelly. The lilacs were overlooked, but not this year! Harvest your lilacs and make up a batch of this Lilac Blossom Jelly. I’m sure this will be an annual project for me now!

I must confess, I don’t love the painstaking task of picking the petals off of the lilac blooms. Depending on what you are preparing with the lilacs, you might need to be a little more careful when separating the petals from the branches. In the case of these Glazed Lilac Scones, for example, I spent two hours separating the petal so that no trace of green stem remained. For jelly, you don’t need to fool with all of that!

If some of the green remains, it’s quite alright. Now, don’t think this gives you permission to throw anything but the branch into the pot! High amounts of stems and/or leaves, will most definitely change the flavour of your jelly. And, because the green has a very sharp, bitter taste, you don’t want to add that to your pot. If you don’t want to risk a jelly that tastes off, be tedious and pick the petals from the stems. Better safe than sorry, right!?

HOW TO EAT LILAC BLOSSOM JELLY

This might seem rather obvious, right? The go-to for Lilac Blossom Jelly is to smear it lightly on toast. It’s also really good on freshly baked scones! But you can use it in other ways as well. Try it stirred into yogurt or vanilla ice cream. It’s really good sandwiched between two cakes like my Jam Filled Vanilla Layer Cake.

Jelly is always rather sweet, so I like to use it for more than just as a spread or topping. I like to use jellies in savoury dishes as well. The sweetness of jellies work great in hot and spicy sauces. Not only do they help to balance out the overall flavours, like in the case of this Korean Gochujang Sauce. Because of the high sugar content, jellies are also a great addition to anything you are frying or grilling. The sugar content will make sure you get those gorgeous grill marks!

The next time you’re making a chicken dish, don’t forget to whisk some of your lilac jelly into the sauce. One of my quick and easy chicken recipes is this Orange Marmalade Barbecue Chicken. You could totally substitute the marmalade with jelly instead! And, if you’re looking for dessert, try using your lilac jelly as a glaze in this delicious Fruit and Berry Salad recipe!

INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Lilac Petals – Read the next section on how to collect and clean lilac petals.
• Water
• Lemon Juice – When canning, it’s always best to use bottled lemon juice instead of freshly squeezed lemon juice. In the bottled type, the pH level is optimized which ensures a safer canning experience.
• Sugar – There’s a lot of sugar is jelly recipes. Do not be tempted to cut back on the sugar. Doing so may result in a jelly that does not set.
• Pectin – Naturally found in fruits and vegetables, this is a starch that is often used in jams and jellies to thicken.

HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

Add the prepared lilacs and water to a large pot. If you want to a purplish colour to your jelly, add one cup of blackberries or a quarter cup of blueberries. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, turn off the heat and allow the mixture to steep and cool for 4 hours. Next, strain the mixture through a double layer of cheesecloth. Discard the lilacs and berries, if you used them.

Transfer the lilac juice to a pot. Add the lemon juice and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, add the pectin and stir with a whisk until the mixture comes back to a boil. Continue to boil for one minute. Remove from heat and carry on with the canning process.

WATER BATH CANNING VERSUS PRESSURE CANNING

To be perfectly honest, I’m comfortable with both, but most people seem to be more comfortable with water bath canning. That hissing, steaming pressure canner can be quite scary for the inexperienced canner; I get it! Luckily, this recipe is completely safe to use the water bath canning method.

Water bath processing is a method used in home canning for high-acid foods. The jars are filled with food and sealed with a lid. The jars are boiled completely and covered in water for a specific amount of time. High-acid foods are items such as jams, jellies, pickles, relishes, salsas, and tomato products.

In contrast, pressure canning uses a pot with a vent and a pressure gauge. The lid is either sealed using clamps or is screwed on. This type of canning is used to heat the food in the jars hotter than a boiling water bath method can. Low-acid foods must be processed in a pressure canner to be considered safe. That’s probably why pickle-type recipes are the most common canned goods. Pressure canning must be used for anything with meat, beans, etc.

HOW TO WATER BATH CAN

STEP 1: PREPARING THE JARS

Some canners say that if you need to boil the jars longer than 10 minutes, then you don’t need to sterilize the jars. I say no! Canning is not as simple and cheap as frying an egg. It takes time, and an investment if you don’t already have the equipment. Eliminate any risk whatsoever by always sterilizing your jars. It’s easy to do! Wash the jars in hot, soapy water. Rinse the jars well under running water to get rid of any soap residue.

Transfer the jars to a large pot of water. Bring to a boil and boil for 2-3 minutes. Using a jar wrench/lifter, lift the jars out of the water, tilting to pour out the water. Be careful; it’s hot! Stand the jar up on a baking sheet. Once all of the jars are on the baking sheet, place them into your preheated oven at 200 degrees F. This will keep them hot and away from any contamination.

STEP 2: PREPARING THE SEALS AND RINGS

Mason jars are equipped with three parts. The first is the jar. The second and third parts combine to form the lid. The flat disc with the rubber ring on the bottom is the seal. Finally, the circular part that actually screws onto the jar is called a screw band. Depending on the brand or the recipe you’re reading, the names of these things can vary. But, they all do the same thing.

The screw bands never come in contact with the food, so they do not need to be washed or sterilized. But, because I want to eliminate any risk of contamination, I make sure they’re clean. After all, they have been sitting in a warehouse before they got to the store, and then finally, to me. That’s too many germs for my comfort level! I wash them in hot, soapy water, rinse them well, and transfer them to a bowl until I need them. The sealing disk/sealing ring needs a little more consideration.

If you look at the bottom of the lid, you will see a reddish-brown rubber ring. It’s attached to the lid. This ring has a huge job! It is pretty much in charge of keeping your food safe for long-term storage. Place the lids into a glass bowl. I like to separate them so that they are not all stacked. When I’m ready to ladle the food into the jars, I pour a kettle of boiling water over the lids so that they are sterile and the rubber band softens. That’s it. You have now prepared your jars. Next, we need to get the canner ready!

STEP 3: PREPARING THE CANNER

You can buy a canning pot, but you don’t have to do that. Any stock pot will do just fine. Be sure that the pot is tall enough to hold enough water so that your jars are covered by at least an inch of water. Fill the canning pot accordingly. Also, be sure to insert a canning rack or mat into the bottom of your pot. If you buy a canning pot it will come with one. Otherwise, you can buy them for any pot size. Never let your jars touch the bottom of the pot when boiling. They could easily break. Once you’ve done this, bring the water to a full boil.

In most cases, if you’re new to canning, you might notice some white residue on the jars after all is said and done. This can easily be cleaned off once the jars are cool. A few tablespoons of white vinegar in the boiling water helps to eliminate most of it. I use it every single time.

Lastly, it’s always a good idea to keep a kettle of boiling water close by. Depending on how many jars you need to process, you might have to boil them in batches. You will be surprised at how quickly rapidly boiling water can evaporate. Having a kettle of boiling water will allow you to easily top up the canning pot without altering the temperature of the water.

STEP 4: FILLING THE JARS

Depending on the recipe, filling the jars is quite easy. Having some inexpensive equipment on hand can make this process much easier. Invest in a canning funnel. It will help you ladle the food into the jars without making a mess. Also, it’s imperative to keep the rim of the jar clean to ensure a good seal. You will also need a bubble remover. You can buy these, but I’m not a fan of them. A clean wooden chopstick does the same thing. Removing bubbles will prevent mould from growing.

Lastly, you will need a magnetic lid lifter. Remember how I said the flat sealing lids will be submerged in a bowl of boiling water? Well, you can’t just pick them up with your hands. First of all, it’s hot! Secondly, you will want to eliminate the risk of any contamination. Do not touch the underside of the lid. Period! Using a magnetic lid lifter will allow you to pick up the lid and position it right onto the rim of the jar without ever touching it.

Finally, you will need to screw on the metal screw bands. In most cases, the food in the jars is scalding hot, so you can’t touch the jars to tighten the lids. But, that’s a good thing! You should never over-tighten the lids. Place the screw band over the jar and tighten it with one hand. It should be snug, not tight. Now, that’s it! You’re ready to boil these jars!

STEP 5: BOILING THE JARS OF FOOD

Carefully lift the jars straight up using a jar wrench/lifter. Lower the jar into the pot of boiling water. Fill the canning pot with jars in this manner. Don’t jam the jars in; leave a little bit of space between the jars. I aim for about a centimetre or a finger’s width. Remember, you can process the jars in batches.

Once the canning pot is loaded, place a lid on the pot, and start your timer according to the recipe you are following. If the water is not at a full boil, do not start timing until it is! When the time is up, use the jar wrench to lift the jars straight up out of the water. Transfer the jars to a flat surface that has been lined with a few layers of kitchen towels. Allow the jars to fully cool – at least 24 hours! Finally, wipe the jars down, label them with contents and date, and store them in a cool, dark cupboard or pantry.

Some people remove the screw bands after the jars have cooled for 24 hours. I remove them just to check if there is a good seal. I put them back on once I’ve checked. It’s up to you if you want to leave them off. If you notice that a jar has not been sealed, you can either discard it or refrigerate it for immediate consumption. Only do so if you are 100% sure the food has not been compromised and that it is safe to eat.