Peony Jelly
Peony jelly catches the soft, rose-and-honey flavor of peony petals in a delicate spreadable preserve, with the color following the blooms you pick. Sets reliably with regular pectin and cans for the pantry shelf.
Servings: 80 servings, Makes 5 half pint (8 oz) jars
Equipment
- Canning Jars, Lids, and Rings
Ingredients
For the Peony Tea:
- 2 to 4 cups fresh peony petals petals only, no stems or green parts
- 4 cups water
For the Jelly:
- 4 cups peony tea strained, from above
- 1/4 cup bottled lemon juice or 1 tsp citric acid
- 1 box powdered pectin regular, such as Sure-Jell (1.75 ounce box or 6 Tbsp if bulk)
- 5 cups granulated sugar
Instructions
- Pull the petals from the peony blooms and discard the stems and green parts. Pinch off the bitter pale base of each petal and give them a quick rinse.
- Bring the water to a boil and pour it over the petals, pushing them down until fully submerged. Steep 15 to 20 minutes.
- Strain the tea through a fine mesh strainer, pressing gently. Measure, adding water if needed to reach the full amount.
- Pour the tea into a large pot and stir in the lemon juice. Bring to a boil, then whisk in the pectin until fully dissolved. Boil hard 1 full minute.
- Add all the sugar at once and stir to dissolve. Return to a full rolling boil and boil hard exactly 1 minute, then remove from heat and skim off foam. (Do not add the sugar before or with the pectin, or it won't set.)
- Ladle hot jelly into prepared jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rims, center lids, apply bands fingertip-tight.
- Process in a boiling water bath 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Rest 5 minutes with the heat off, then cool undisturbed 24 hours before checking seals.
Notes
Yield ~ This recipe makes 5 to 6 half-pint jars (about 3 cups of finished jelly).
Doubling ~ Don't double this recipe. Pectin jelly sets on a precise balance of liquid, sugar, and pectin, and a doubled pot often refuses to gel. Make two single batches back-to-back instead.
Give It Time to Set ~ Pectin jelly can take 24 to 48 hours to firm up. If it still looks loose the next day, hold off on re-cooking and give it more time first.
Low Sugar Option ~ For a less sweet jelly, use Sure-Jell Low Sugar or Pomona's Universal Pectin and follow the package directions for mint jelly. With Pomona's, increase the lemon juice to 1/2 cup, since it doesn't contain the added citric acid other pectins do. Reducing the sugar lowers the yield.
A note on lemon juice ~ The lemon juice is required for safe water bath canning, not just flavor. Use the full 1/4 cup of bottled lemon juice and don't cut it back or swap in fresh, since bottled has a reliable acidity. It's also what turns the tea pink.
Make the Tea Ahead ~ The peony tea can be steeped and refrigerated a day or two, or frozen for several months, before you turn it into jelly.
Altitude Adjustment ~ Process for 10 minutes at elevations below 6,000 feet, or 15 minutes above 6,000 feet.
Nutrition
Calories: 50kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 0.004g | Fat: 0.04g | Saturated Fat: 0.001g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.001g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 1mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 0.1IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 0.2mg | Iron: 0.02mg
