Redbud Jelly

Redbud jelly is mild in flavor. It is easy to use in place of most any jelly any time. It is best known for it jewel clarity and pink to lavender color. The color varies depending on your water and the amount of lemon you use. I use this jelly in place of any standard jelly. It works well in recipes for thumbprint cookies, baked brie with apples or crackers as an appetizer, and other recipes calling for fruit jelly.

Redbud Jelly Recipe:

• 2 cups Redbud flowers and buds picked clean (washed only if needed)
• 1 1.75 oz. package of powdered pectin (regular, not sugar free)
• 2 cups white sugar (for clarity)
• Lemon juice (I use very little so as not to alter the flavor (1teaspoon at most)
• 7 four oz. canning jars with lids or the equivalent (you will probably not use all of them, but just in case)

Collect 2 cups of Redbud flowers. Pick out the sticks and bugs to the best of your ability. A few left by mistake never hurt me. Wash the flowers briefly in cold water if they need it. Generally, I avoid washing the flowers because some of the sugars and flavor may be washed away. Place flowers in a heatproof bowl (a glass bowl lets you see the color). Pour 2 cups of boiling water over the flowers. Mix gently, cover to keep out the other stray creatures, and let sit overnight on the counter. After 24 hours, strain the mixture through a jelly cloth into a bowl. Measure the amount of liquid collected. Add two cups of the liquid to a non-reactive pot along with one package of powdered pectin. Stir to a rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. Add 2 cups of white sugar over the heat and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Here is where I add the lemon juice if I’m using it. Bring to a rolling boil stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute. *Pour into scalded canning jars with boiling water prepared lids. Can, using the standard hot-water bath protocol for 10 minutes. I use 4 Oz. jars as shown in the picture above. These are fun to give as gifts and this recipe makes about 6 jars. If canned properly, these jars will keep on your shelf for a least a year. I have found that adding lemon juice strained through a jelly bag in the cooking step at the end will make the syrup pinker. But it also changes the flavor. So I don’t use much if any. I strain out the lemon pulp by using the jelly bag which preserves the jewel clarity of this beautiful jelly.

*Please follow standard hot water bath canning practices with jars and lids.

My favorite biscuit recipe: https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/gold-medal-flour-classic-biscuits/1e6f1425-0362-4782-893e-3b2930003193

My favorite way to use this jelly is on fresh homemade biscuits with butter. It doesn’t get much better than that.