As all good intentions tend to go, I am a few weeks late with this post. And, while the redbuds are no longer in bloom in our area, I do have an alternate recipe option below!
The start of spring is a magical scene. An awakening of color and life. A rebirth of all that was dead for months on dreary end. The world is fresh, new, and slightly warmer.
The colors of spring are as unique as the Creator. Greens in every shade. Pinks and purples, pale yellows and contrasting whites. Pops of color spring up from the depths of winter’s shadows.
Possibly, my favorite of the springtime reawakening is the Eastern Redbud tree. One morning you notice a soft purple hue hovering around the dark brown branches. Days later, a vibrant flame of purple and pink flowers engulf what was once a seemingly dead tree. This beautiful tree is the herald of spring. It calls quietly out to passersby, “Spring is on its way!” It calls to be noticed.
Last spring, I had begun collecting the gorgeous purple flowers with intentions of making jelly. And, moments later my little man found our puppy in the road. Needless to say, I lost the heart to return picking the flowers. When the buds returned this year, I decided it was time. My heart had healed, our kennel is full again, and this is the year for jelly making.
Our property is full of Eastern Redbud trees, so I was able to take a leisurely walk while collecting the vibrant flowers. I even had a little helper, and got to see a wild turkey on my trek. It didn’t take long to collect a large basketful of the Redbud flowers.
Make Strong Tea
Begin by measuring out 4 cups of the flowers. (I picked this amount as this is the largest measuring cup I have. If you use a different amount of flowers, be sure to adjust the measurements below.) Pick out any sticks, and rinse the flowers with water.
Once you have cleaned the flowers, cover with equal parts hot water and allow to sit on the counter for about 12 hours. Cover and move to the fridge for at least 24 hours. (I allowed mine to sit for about 48 hours due to schedule mayhem!)
During this time period, the color of the flowers will transfer to the water. The water becomes a lovely shade of reddish-purple.
Strain the liquid, and squeeze any excess water out of the flowers. Discard the flowers, and reserve the liquid for the next step! You could also stop at this step for a fun drink.
Make Tea Jelly
Pour the tea into a large pot and bring to a boil.
Add a package of pectin, or 6 tablespoons of a bulk container of pectin. Allow to boil for about 1 minute.
Add equal part sugar to the liquid. I added 4 cups of sugar since I had used 4 cups of water for making the Redbud tea. At this point, you can also add 1/4 cup of lemon juice. (This will give the jelly a bit more flavor as well as aid in the gelling process.) Allow the liquid to return to a boil for another minute.
Carefully pour the hot liquid into sterilized jars. Wipe rims and place lids on top.
If you plan to can the jars, you can do so in a water bath canner. If you do not plan on canning the jars, they need to be stored in the refrigerator.
Don’t have Redbuds?
While the color of the jelly is a lovely shade of red because of the flower color, there is little taste. For the second batch of jelly, I added a strong blueberry tea to the Redbud tea. (About 2 cups of each tea to make the overall 4 cups of total liquid.)
If you don’t have Redbuds blooming in your area, you can simply make this jelly recipe with any tea flavor that you love. Mix and match tea varieties for different colors and flavors. Imagine how fun this would be for a tea party!!
When the jelly had set, we served it with our favorite sourdough biscuits! It was delish!!
You can also check out a busy day in the kitchen as I made this jelly, in the video below
