The way to Make Dandelion Jelly

For those who’re really enthusiastic about making your individual jelly and preserves, why wait till autumn to start out? There are many great recipes you can also make lengthy earlier than the primary berries start to set. One in every of my all-time favourite early spring options is dandelion jelly.

Not solely is that this among the many first jelly-making alternatives of the yr, however it comes with some distinctive well being advantages and has a delightfully mild honey-sweet taste. Plus, dandelions are usually fairly straightforward to search out which makes it an awesome possibility for novice foragers.

What’s Dandelion Jelly?

Dandelion jelly is made out of the yellow petals of this prolific flower. It doesn’t include any roots or inexperienced components. That is nice as a result of it means you possibly can go away the plant intact, permitting it develop extra dandelions to feed bees so you can also make extra jelly afterward.

Like different flower jellies, together with considered one of my different favorites, redbud jelly, this one is made within the spring when flowers are plentiful. Dandelion flowers have a pure honey-sweet taste with floral undertones. This combined with the lemon juice on this recipe creates an extremely bright-tasting jelly that makes the right bread, bagel, or yogurt topping.

Flower jellies are tremendous straightforward to make. You begin by soaking the petals to create a tea. This takes a while however may be very easy to do. From there, you boil the tea with sugar and pectin to thicken it up, and also you’re accomplished.

As you possible know, dandelions have many well being advantages, reminiscent of combating irritation, supporting liver well being, and enhancing blood stress and triglyceride ranges(1). Dandelion jelly presents many of those advantages in a type that’s a lot tastier than dandelion tea or dietary supplements. 

Key Elements

To make your individual dandelion jelly, you solely want 4 easy components plus some water.

• Dandelions. When harvesting your dandelions, make sure you solely forage in areas you understand are free from herbicides. Pop off or minimize off the heads and go away the vegetation intact. You’ll want roughly 4 cups of dandelion flowers to get 2 cups of petals.
• Sugar. I take advantage of organic raw sugar however something you might have available will work in a pinch.
• Pectin. As a result of there isn’t any sugar within the flowers themselves, it may be just a little little bit of a trick to get the jelly to set. A great pectin is essential to success. I like this option from Anthony’s.
• Lemon juice. A bit lemon juice actually helps to deliver out the floral notes within the dandelions and helps remodel the jelly right into a jar of sunshine.

The way to Make Dandelion Jelly

To make dandelion jelly, you first must make dandelion tea. This takes a while to steep, so make sure you begin the method not less than at some point forward of time. As soon as the tea is prepared, you possibly can start making the jelly.

The way to Make Dandelion Tea

1. Begin by eradicating the petals from the dandelion flowers. You are able to do this by gripping the inexperienced bud half and pulling the petals out by the bunch. Or you possibly can grip the petals in a single hand and minimize the inexperienced half off utilizing a pair of scissors (you’ll lose just a little petal size this fashion, however it’s a lot quicker).

2. After getting about 2 cups of petals, place them in a big (not less than 48-ounce) heat-safe jar.

3. Boil 2 ¼ cups of water. Pour the water into the jar with the petals and stir gently. Utilizing a funnel might be useful right here. 

4. Let the tea steep on the counter for round 4 hours. Then place the tea within the fridge for an additional 20 hours or extra. The longer you let the tea steep, the extra intense the flavour of the jelly will likely be.

The way to Make Dandelion Jelly from Tea

1. Pour your steeped dandelion tea by way of a sieve right into a medium pot. I like to recommend urgent down on the petals with a spoon to get all that concentrated tea out.

2. Add two tablespoons of lemon juice and three tablespoons of pectin to the pot with the tea. Flip the warmth to excessive and boil the combination for one minute whereas stirring. Then add 2 cups of sugar, permit the combination to return to a boil, and boil for one minute, stirring continuously.

3. Take away the pot from warmth and shortly however fastidiously ladle the combination into your sterilized and ready canning jars. Make sure you go away ¼ inch headspace in every. 

For brief-term storage, put the lids and rings in place and permit the jars to chill earlier than inserting them within the fridge. For long-term storage, boil the jars in a deep canning pot for 10 minutes earlier than permitting them to set.

Recipe Suggestions

• Double or triple the recipe, in case you can. This recipe solely makes two 8-ounce jars of jelly. You probably have sufficient dandelions (and the time to gather all of them), be happy to double or triple the recipe to make canning the jars price your time.
• Canning isn’t required. For those who’d quite make a small batch, don’t really feel obligated to can. So long as you retain the jelly within the fridge, it is going to final about 3 weeks.
• Chances are you’ll want a filter. If a wonderful sieve nonetheless permits small particles into your completed tea, strive operating it by way of a espresso or nut milk filter. This could provide you with a cleaner product. 
• Decide your sugar. Utilizing uncooked sugar provides a little bit of darkish coloration to the ultimate jelly (as you possibly can see from my photographs. If you would like a brighter yellow jelly, you should utilize white sugar. Different sugar sorts and different sweeteners can work, however you’ll must experiment with the quantities. 

The way to Retailer Dandelion Jelly

For those who don’t plan on canning your jelly, transfer the jars to the fridge as quickly as they cool. They need to final upwards of three weeks if stored chilly.

For those who do can, your jelly will last as long as a yr. When you open the jar, make sure you retailer it within the fridge. Like most canned jellies, it ought to last as long as six months after opening, however discard in case you see any mould development earlier than then.

FAQs

What Does Dandelion Jelly Style Like?

Dandelion jelly tastes like mild, floral honey. Our recipe has a little bit of a lemony kick that basically helps to deliver out these brighter notes and that completely compliments the forward-facing sweetness.

Why Is My Dandelion Jelly So Runny?

Most frequently, in case your jelly remains to be runny after just a few hours, it simply wants extra time to set. Strive popping it within the fridge for twenty-four hours. If it’s nonetheless runny, reboil with one other teaspoon or two of pectin.

Aren’t You Stealing Meals From the Bees?

So long as you harvest ethically, you gained’t be stealing meals from early spring bees. Moral harvesting means chopping the buds off as a substitute of pulling the vegetation, and solely taking what you want, which ought to by no means be all of the flowers you see. Plus, the vegetation you harvest from will shortly exchange lacking flowers, so your bees will nonetheless have loads to eat.

How Lengthy Does Dandelion Jelly Retailer?

For those who can your dandelion jelly, it is going to last as long as a yr within the cellar or pantry. For those who don’t can it, the jelly will last as long as three weeks within the fridge.

Can You Freeze Dandelion Jelly?

No, you possibly can’t freeze dandelion jelly or every other form of jelly. As soon as frozen, the gelatin-like bonds of the jelly denature and the product turns to liquid.

How Do You Make Dandelion Tea?

Dandelion tea is made by steeping dandelion petals in sizzling water for 24-plus hours. The longer you steep, the extra taste your tea could have.

Aren’t Dandelions Weeds?

If dandelions are rising in a spot they’re not wished, then they’re thought-about weeds, in line with the technical definition. Nevertheless, if you need dandelions in your yard so you can also make scrumptious dandelion jelly, then you possibly can go forward and name them flowers.

Serving Strategies

Flower jellies like this one have a delicate, fragrant taste that pairs properly with a impartial base reminiscent of oatmeal bread, plain bagels, or different bakery favorites. However the honey-sweetness of dandelion jelly additionally makes it an awesome addition or topping to quite a lot of different dishes.

Listed below are just a few of my favourite methods to make use of it:

• Dandelion Pancakes – This one is only a no-brainer (and a deliciously wholesome breakfast).
• Oatmeal – Dandelion jelly gives a easy strategy to gown up plain oatmeal for a wholesome begin to the day.
• Homemade Yogurt – Add just a little sweetness to your yogurt by mixing dandelion jelly in or use it as a topper together with walnuts and blueberries. 
• Healthy Apple Bread – The sweetness from the apples pairs completely with the honey taste of the jelly. 
• Pumpkin Protein Waffles – These waffles are full of protein that can assist you begin your day proper. Make them even higher with a dollop of dandelion jelly.