Learn how to make lilac jelly from the blooms growing in your garden. A beautiful end product to enjoy and gift to others.
There's something wonderful about the smell of an old fashioned lilac shrub. Growing up we had them blooming all over the place. I'm talking about Syringa vulgaris sometimes referred to as French Lilac.
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Unfortunately, they don't last long so I decided to harness some of their beauty and scent to make a sweet jelly. The shrub shown above is S. vulgaris 'Ludwig Spaeth.' It's a sweet smelling lilac with pretty mid to dark purple flowers.
Did you even know that lilacs are edible? I wrote a post a while back about entertaining with edible flowers. Their natural beauty makes such a great statement.
Making Lilac Jelly
I was hoping this darker lilac would make a pretty colored jelly. The really old fashioned light lavender colored lilacs smell wonderful, just like this one but they don't have much color.
Tip: Do your best to only use the flowers. They are sticky and it takes some time to remove them from the stems, but this will help with the color and the taste.
Look how adding boiling water to create an infusion immediately changes the color of the flowers to a bluer tone.
One day later and all the color is just about gone, leaving a pretty red-violet hued infusion for the jelly.
I used liquid pectin to make this jelly. However, though I did sterilize the jars (dishwasher), I did not preserve the jelly in a canning bath process.
This means they will have a shelf life of a few weeks to a month in the refrigerator. Perfect for small batches and these cute little Weck Jars
The flavor is sweet and has a very delicate lilac scent. Nothing like rose or lavender which are much stronger, but more of a light pretty fragrance.
I love the way they look and can't wait to give them out to family and friends.
P.S. Learn more about experimenting with different Floral and Herbal Infusions and other similar ideas include making Beautyberry Jelly or making your own Floral Water.
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Lilac Jelly Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups of lilac infusion jar of boiled water over clean flowers for 24 hrs
- 3 cups of sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 3 oz packet of sure jell liquid
Instructions
- Combine lilac infusion, sugar and lemon juice in a large pot.
- Bring to a rolling boil and stir until all the sugar has dissolved.
- Continue to boil for 1 minute.
- Add in sure jell or pectin liquid and bring back to a rolling boil.
- Let boil for 2 minutes.
- Remove and skim any foam from top.
- Ladle into sterilized jars.
- Refrigerate for up to a month.
Dulcinea
Made this recipe for the first time and now I am in love! Thank you for sharing with us. They can be jarred up and put through a waterbath for 10 minutes. 😋
Patti Estep
So glad to hear it, Dulcinea. Thanks for sharing the water bath information too.
Susan
I made this and it turned out so amazingly good. I am hooked now and will be making this every year. Thank you for a great recipe,
Patti Estep
That's wonderful to hear Susan. Thanks for sharing your results here!
Susan
Do these go into the jars hot hot and the tops tightened and go straight into the fridge, or left out to cool down then put in the fridge. I just made this for the first time. Excited to try it.
Patti Estep
Susan, I do let them cool down some before refrigeration.
Debra Boula
Can I process theses in a canner and Not have to refrigerate until open
Patti Estep
Debra, I have not done it but I'm sure you could easily can the jelly. Here's a link from the makers of Sure Jell that might help.https://www.myfoodandfamily.com/recipe/051957/surejell-strawberry-jam
Mary Snook
I would really like to try this, lilacs are just beginning to open.
Approximately how many flowers are needed to do this? 1 cup, 2 cups?
Thank you.
Patti Estep
Mary I used a couple of large blossoms which ended up being about 2 full cups after removing the flowers but you could use more if you like.
Carole West
Both of my grandmothers had lilac bushes and we looked forward to bringing home bouquets every year. They were always present around Mother's day which was neat. Now I never thought about using those blooms for jelly. Neat idea and I agree perfect gift idea too.