Violet Jelly

Violets

I wanted to make violet jelly last year, but I totally missed the window for flowers.  This year I did much better.  I managed to catch the beginning of the flowering period this year.  I went out to my mom's the end of last week to pick violets.  I picked almost half of a gallon Ziploc bag of flowers.

Violet Tea

I was not able to make the jelly the same day so I put the flowers in their gallon Ziploc into the fridge.  When I was ready to get started I rinsed the flowers and poured them into a quart jar.  To this jar I added boiling water to fill the jar.  After letting this mixture cool, I put it back in the fridge overnight.  After letting the flowers steep overnight I pulled it out to finish the jelly.

Sugar and Pectin Added

I always start a jelly session by making sure that the necessary jars, lids and rims are clean and sterilized.  This prevents jelly spoilage.  I also make sure that my canning funnel and ladle are also sterilized.

You can see the difference in color that adding
the lemon juice makes

For the jelly itself, I started by straining the flower tea through a cheesecloth placed over a strainer.  Next I measured out the tea and added water to make 6 cups of liquid.  I added 1 Tbsp of lemon juice, 1/3 cup of pectin and 5 cups of sugar to the tea.  I always make my jelly by taste.  After tasting the jelly I added a 6th cup of sugar to the pot.

The color changes again after you start heating it

I boiled the jelly testing frequently for jell.  I don't do this the same way that most people do.  I keep a small plate and a metal spoon on the stove top.  Every few minutes I dip a spoonful of the jelly out and let it cool on the plate.  I do this until the jelly sets up in the bowl of the spoon.

All finished

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