Dandelion Jelly
Good morning food adventurers! The early spring flowers will be blooming soon near the city of Baldur’s Gate, which means it is almost time to make Dandelion Jelly. If you don’t grow these yourself, it is a great time to start asking around to find out who has a spray-free yard and is willing to share. I just pulled a jar of this jelly from last spring out of the pantry – the sweet jelly tastes like sunshine and honey, and gets me excited about the warm weather ahead. It is excellent on toast, scones, muffins, or anywhere you like jelly.
Something you will see in almost every home in Baldur’s Gate is a shelf full of jars. Some have basements full of bottles and jars! You know these people are serious about their jelly making. Dandelions are very easy to grow in most worlds including our own, and they are one of the earliest sources of food for local bees. Please support the bees and grow dandelions in your yards and gardens! They are good for the soil, plus healthy and delicious to eat.
Dandelion greens can be eaten fresh in salads, dried for tea (they taste a bit like green tea), or cooked in any recipe that calls for spinach. The roots can be dried and roasted for tea too. The flowers are my favorite part because of the lovely bright flavor. Dandelion jelly is easy to make, if you are willing to take the time to separate the petals from the green bits. If you have a water bath canner, it can be made shelf-stable and will last for several years. If not, it can be kept in the fridge for a few months or freezer until ready to use (like any other jelly).
Side note – if you are foraging, be 100% sure of the plant you are picking. Some plants look similar to dandelions but are totally different plants and may not be safe to eat. If you have any doubt at all, find a local person who can see the plant and provide a trustworthy identification. Do NOT rely on a phone app for plant ID. Never pick all the flowers in an area – leave some for the bees!
Dandelion Jelly
Equipment
- Fine mesh strainer
- 6 half-pint canning jars with lids
- Water bath canner and equipment (optional)
Ingredients
- 2-4 cups freshly picked dandelion flowers (MUST be pesticide-free and herbicide-free)
- 4 cups water
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 6 Tbsp powdered pectin (1.75 oz)
- 4 cups granulated sugar
Instructions
- Remove the dandelion petals from the green flower base, resulting in 2 to 4 cups of petals. Put the petals in a large heat-safe bowl or container. (The green bits will add bitterness and must be removed)
- Pour 4 cups of boiling water over the petals and steep in the fridge for 24 hours
- Strain as much liquid out of the petals as you can (should get between 3 and 4 cups of dandelion tea). Squeeze the petals to get all of the flavorful goodness into the tea.
- Combine your dandelion tea, lemon juice, and powdered pectin in a large pot. Bring to a boil.
- Add sugar and return to boil. Boil for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat and skim off any white film.
- If not water-bath canning: ladle the jelly into clean half-pint jars. Label them! These can be kept in the fridge for many months or can be put in the freezer for longer storage (leave at least 1/2" headspace if freezing).
Water Bath Canning:
- Ladle your hot jelly into hot, sterilized half-pint jars. Leave 1/4″ head space.
- Run a knife or spatula around the edge of the jar to remove any air bubbles.
- Wipe the rim with a clean damp cloth and screw on lids, finger tight.
- Process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes or according to your altitude.
- Remove from canner and let jars rest, undisturbed, for 24 hours. Label and store in the pantry (refrigerate once opened). If any do not seal, you can re-process them with new lids or just keep in the fridge.
