I enjoy making jams and jellies! This Christmas, I created some unique flavors as gifts. They taste wonderful on scones, toast, or as fillings for cakes and tarts… and they're just as good eaten straight from the jar with a spoon. (Your secret's safe with us!)
Have you ever tried sweetening and flavoring your tea with jam? Trust me, it's delicious.
Here are a few recipes for you to try.
Cranberry Jam
Makes 12 half-pint jars
Ingredients
· 7-1/2 cups prepared fruit (buy 2 lb. fully ripe cranberries)
· 4 cups water
· 5-1/2 cups sugar, measured into separate bowl
· ½ tsp butter or margarine
Instructions
Bring boiling-water canner, half full with water, to simmer. Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain jars well before filling.
Place cranberries and water in large saucepan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 10 min. Press through a sieve, if desired. Measure exactly 7-1/2 cups prepared fruit into 6- or 8-qt. saucepot.
Stir sugar into prepared fruit in saucepot. Add butter to reduce foaming. Bring mixture to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in pectin. Return to full rolling boil and boil for exactly 1 min., stirring constantly. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.
Ladle quickly into prepared jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. (Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.) Cover; bring water to gentle boil. Process 10 min. Remove jars and place upright on a towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middles of lids with finger. (If lids spring back, lids are not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)
JASMINE TEA JELLY
Makes 5-6 half-pints
Ingredients:
4 cups water
1-1/2 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
½ cup loose-leaf jasmine green tea
1 1-3/4 oz. package regular powdered fruit pectin (Sure-Jel)
4 teaspoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon butter
4-1/2 cups sugar
Directions:
1. In a medium saucepan combine the water and ginger. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer covered for 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in tea. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes. Strain tea mixture into a large liquid measuring cup; discard solids. Measure EXACTLY 3-1/2 cups liquid, adding water or discarding liquid if necessary.
2. Transfer liquid to a 6–8-quart pot. Stir in pectin, butter and lemon juice. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar. Return to a full rolling boil again. Boil hard for 1 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
3. Remove the “scum”. A good method is to use a stainless-steel perforated spoon. Dip it in boiling water and shake it before using it for skimming. The last bits of scum can be removed by pulling a piece of wax paper, with torn edges, across the surface of the jelly.
4. Ladle the hot jelly into hot sterilized canning jars, leaving a ¼-inch headspace. Wipe jar rims; and screw down lids.
5. Process filled jar in a boiling-water canner for 10 minutes (start timing when water return to boiling.) Remove jars from canner; Cool on wire racks.
DR. PEPPER JELLY
Makes approximately 5 half-pint jars
Ingredients:
3-1/2 cups white sugar
2-1/4 cups Dr. Pepper Soda
¼ cup lemon juice
½ teaspoon butter
3 oz. liquid pectin
Few drops of red food coloring
Directions:
1. Combine sugar, lemon juice, butter and soda in large saucepan. Add red coloring to make a pretty color.
2. Place over high heat; bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Stir in liquid pectin all at once. Bring back to a full rolling boil and boil for 2 minutes.
3. Remove from heat; skim off “scum” with metal perforated spoon. Pour into hot sterilized jars, leaving a ¼ inch headspace and seal.
4. Process jars in a boiling-water canner for 10 minutes. Remove jars from canner, cool on wire rack. (Allow to set for a few days before serving.)
These two recipes are already on the web site:
Chai Tea Jelly
https://larkintea.com/blogs/recipes/chai-tea-jelly?_pos=1&_sid=23bc269bc&_ss=r
Spiced Tomato Jam
https://larkintea.com/blogs/recipes/tomato-tea-recipes?_pos=1&_sid=325b909c0&_ss=r