We are a few short days away from the Spring Equinox here and it feels like it. Daffodils, dandelions and yellow bells (aka forsythia) are dotting our countryside with cheery yellows. I always look forward to seeing them. They’re the first flowers to bloom here and all are useful. Daffodils I collect for dyeing with. While dandelion and forsythia is used in my apothecary and for jelly!
I’ve often heard dandelion jelly called “poor man’s honey” since it has such a similar taste to honey. When you add forsythia to it, it gives it a beautiful floral taste that can only be described as “spring in a jar”.
Here’s how I make jelly out of dandelions and forsythia.
• 9 cups of flowers, the more dandelions the darker the color of the jelly. Use forsythia and dandelions. Cut green sepal and receptacle off of dandelions to avoid bitterness. Keep all the fluff and petals of the dandelion.
• Cover flowers in boiling water and steep for 4 hours. Then strain the tea from the flowers.
• Heat on the stove and add pectin (follow the directions on your box), 1 tsp vanilla extract and 4 tblspn lemon juice, optional add 1/2 cup of raw honey.
You can also use this method with violet flowers, lemon balm, mint, lavender flowers, lilacs and more.
I’m sure some are asking, no sugar? I say in the recipe to follow your box of pectin’s instructions, which is were the sugar comes in. Sugar is needed for pectin to set properly. How much you need to use can depend on your brand of pectin you use. If you don’t want to use sugar, there are brands of pectin that are sugar free. In that case, you can add no sugar or use a sugar substitute.
Enjoy your Springtime Jelly!