Makes: 10 – 125 ml jars
5 – 250 ml jars

Note: Not all Viola spp. (violet species) are edible. Viola odorata, or sweet violet, is an edible one. Never pick flowers that have been sprayed with any chemicals, particularly in a lawn.

 

To make juice:

50 g freshly picked violet flowers (about 2 cups)
500 ml (2 c) boiling water

Place freshly picked violet flowers in a glass jar with a lid. Pour boiling water over flowers. Screw on lid and place in a dark cupboard for 24 hours.

Line a plastic sieve with cheesecloth, place over a bowl and strain violet flowers, gently squeezing the cheesecloth to extract all of the juice. Measure 500 ml (2 c) of juice. You can use up to 63 ml (¼ c) water to make up the difference if you are short.

To make jelly:

500 ml (2 c) violet juice
30 ml (2 tbsp) lemon juice or lemon juice concentrate
1 L (4 c) sugar
85 ml (1 pouch) liquid pectin

Fill water bath canner about half full of water. Bring water to a boil; place jars in canner, cover and return to a boil. Reduce heat to about medium and boil jars for about 10 minutes to sterilize. Place sealing lids in a hot water bath; gently warm but do not boil.

In a large saucepan, combine violet and lemon juices. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add sugar and liquid pectin; stir to dissolve sugar. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly and boil hard for one minute. Remove from heat; skim off any foam.

Ladle jelly into jars leaving 63 mm (¼ inch) headspace. Wipe rim of jars clean with a clean, damp cloth. Place sealing lid on jar, add ring sealer and tighten just to finger-tight. Repeat until all jars are filled.

Place jars in water bath canner. Bring to a full boil and process for 5 minutes for 125 ml size jars; 10 minutes for 250 ml size jars.

Remove from canner and allow to cool. Make sure all lids have sealed properly.

Store in a cool, dark place for up to one year.

 

Updated on April 18, 2017