Lemon Balm Jelly

Lemon Balm Jelly

My New Addiction

I've been excited to try something with the Lemon Balm I have growing in various places around the house.  I have some sitting in olive oil right now that will be made into a salve in a few more weeks.  I've been tossing back the idea of drying the leaves and making tea.  And we toss some in our lemonade as well.  When I had a free weekend, and the ingredients, I decided to toss together this jelly.  

I am SOOOOO glad I did.  This stuff is YUMMY!

This same recipe is in a few of our local Amish Cookbooks but it also appears in You Can Can.  

Lemon Balm Jelly

~ adapted from Herb Jelly in You Can Can

2 - 3 ounces freshly cut Lemon Balm

3 cups unsweetened apple juice

1/4 cup bottled lemon juice

1 1.75 oz pkg regular powdered fruit pectin

4 cups sugar (have measured out in a large bowl)

Chop herbs and firmly pack into measuring cup.  Measure 1 1/2 cups firmly packed herbs.  Transfer to large non-reactive pot.  Add apple juice and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.  Boil, uncovered, for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and cover.  Let stand 10 minutes.

Line strainer with coffee filter and strain Lemon Balm water.  Press Lemon Balm to get out all of the water.  If you end up with less than 3 cups, add additional apple juice (I cheated and added a little lemon juice as well as apple juice to make up my 3 cups).  Compost the Lemon Balm and filter.

Combine the Lemon Balm water, lemon juice and fruit pectin.  Whisk to ensure the pectin dissolves.  Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.  Add sugar all at once.  Return to full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down; boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.  Skim off foam.

Ladle Jelly into hot, sterilized 1/2 pint jars.  Leave 1/4" headspace.  Process in boiling water bather for 5 minutes.  

Remove from bath and let cool on towel covered table.  Do not disturb OR PRESS LIDS for 24 hours.

Cranberry Wine Jelly

I love cranberry juice, and when I noticed the recipe for Cranberry Wine Jelly in the Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving, I put it on my list to try. Plus, it just looked so darned easy.

If you have friends helping in the canning process who enjoy a glass or two of wine, you may want to have a few extra bottles on hand.  We ended up needing about triple the amount the recipe called for (I promise, I did not imbibe as I was pregnant the initial time we tried this recipe).  I guess making jellies is a thirsty process!

Cranberry Wine Jelly
2 cups cranberry juice cocktail
3 1/2 cups sugar
1 pouch liquid pectin
1/4 cup Burgundy wine (a great time to use delish local wines!)

Combine cranberry juice cocktail and sugar in a large saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves.  Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.  Stir in liquid pectin.  Return to a rolling boil.  Boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.  Stir in wine.  Skim foam if necessary.  Ladle hot jelly into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space. Adjust two piece caps.  Process 10 minutes in a boiling water canner.



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Chablis Jelly

I have some foodie friends who also are known to enjoy a glass of wine now and then.  I knew, during canning season, that I would need a special recipe to make them happy.  In studying the Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving, I found my recipe.

Chablis Jelly

3 1/2 cups Chablis
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 package powdered pectin
4 1/2 cups sugar

Combine wine and lemon juice in large saucepan; stir in powdered pectin.
Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Add sugar, stirring until dissolved.  Return to a rolling boil.  Boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.  Skim foam if necessary. Ladle hot jelly into jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space. Adjust two-piece caps.  Process 10 minutes in a boiling water canner.