{"id":27774,"date":"2012-04-19T12:55:57","date_gmt":"2012-04-19T16:55:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.healthygreenkitchen.com\/?p=27774"},"modified":"2024-03-06T17:42:32","modified_gmt":"2024-03-06T22:42:32","slug":"violet-jelly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.healthygreenkitchen.com\/violet-jelly\/","title":{"rendered":"Wild Violet Jelly"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Embrace the charm of spring with this Violet Jelly recipe, turning foraged wildflowers into a magenta-hued, subtly floral delight. Perfect for brightening your spring breakfast table.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Violet<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Springtime offers a unique opportunity to forage for wild edibles<\/a>, transforming them into delightful treats that capture the essence of the season. And I just go weak in the knees for recipes made with edible flowers<\/a>. So when violets started popping up across my yard recently, I immediately set about gathering as many as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’ve had my eye on a violet syrup recipe in an old book called Healing Wise<\/a>\"\" for years, but it calls for 1\/2 pound of violets. If you’ve ever picked violets, you know they’re pretty much devoid of mass, so unless you’ve got a carpet of them underfoot (or an army of helpers), it takes a good while to collect even 1 cup. So I wanted to make something that did not require quite so many.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Wild<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Last summer, I was obsessed with this rose petal and lemon balm jelly<\/a>, so I did some googling to see if violet jelly was something I should be considering. The moment I started seeing photos of the vibrant amethyst-purple jelly, I was sold: I knew that my violets would meet a similar fate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The violet jelly recipe that seems to be the “internet standard” has 4 cups of sugar, but I reduced it by half. The result is a jam with a perfectly sweet, subtly floral flavor that all but glows with an irresistible magenta hue; I could not help but bake up some fresh Greek yogurt biscuits to celebrate its beauty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Bother with Violets?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to herbalist Susun Weed, all violets (cultivated and wild) are edible: this even includes pansies (just make sure to only use violets that have not been sprayed with chemicals, and which are away from where your dogs do their business). In her book Healing Wise<\/a>\"\", Ms. Weed writes that violet leaves are very high in minerals and vitamin C, and can be used as food and as medicine (they are reputed to benefit many organs in the body and early herbal literature describes them as possessing anti-cancer properties). The flowers, which are featured in this recipe, also contain vitamin C and are believed to be beneficial to the sensory organs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Violet<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How to Make Violet Jelly<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The process is very similar to making Redbud Jelly<\/a>, and the first step is to make a tea with the violet blooms you’ve foraged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Gather your violet flowers. Aim for open, fresh blooms. You\u2019ll need about 2 cups of blooms. You’ll want to thoroughly de-stem your flowers by carefully pulling the green parts away from the flower. This can take some time but is key to capturing the floral flavor without introducing any added bitterness. This gathering and destemming process takes a little time, but it\u2019s an enjoyable and meditative activity on a beautiful spring day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Next, place the violet flowers in a heat-safe container or pot, and then pour 2 cups of boiling water over the flowers. Give it a stir and allow it to steep for about 4 hours, or until it cools, then transfer it to the refrigerator and allow it to rest overnight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Use a fine-mesh strainer to strain the flowers out of the tea. Take some time to press the brewed blooms to extract as much liquid as possible. Your final tea might have a greenish tint to it at this point, and that’s fine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Now that you have violet tea, you can proceed with making the violet jelly. Pour the tea into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Add 1\/4 cup lemon juice and stir (the tea should turn purple!), then whisk in 1.75 ounces of pectin and 2 cups of sugar. Boil the mixture for about 5 minutes or until the jelly has just started to thicken.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Remove the pot from heat ladle the mixture into sterilized canning jars. Leave \u00bc inch headspace at the top of each jar. Wipe the lips of the jars clean, place the lids on top, and secure with rings. If you\u2019re going to eat the violet jelly within the next few weeks, you can just allow the jars to cool to room temperature and then put them in the refrigerator. Optionally, you can preserve your jars by water bath canning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Jars<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How to Store Violet Jelly<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Jars that haven’t been preserved (or jars that were preserved that have been opened) should be stored in the fridge. As long as they remain cold, they will be good for up to 3 weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you preserved the jelly by water bath canning, take the rings off and check the seal. All jars that are sealed fully can be stored in the cupboard or pantry for up to one year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More Fun with Violets<\/h2>\n\n\n\n