Violet Jelly
2 C. tightly packed violet flowers (no stems)
2 C. boiling water
1/4 C. bottled lemon juice
1 1/2 C. white sugar (again, white is essential to retain the violet color)
4 tsp. pectin
Rinse and drain flowers and place in a small stainless steel saucepan or heat-proof glass bowl. Pour over boiling water, cover and let steep for 24 hours. Strain the liquid through a fine mesh sieve into a medium saucepan, using a wooden spoon (or very clean hands) to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Add lemon juice and gently heat over medium low heat until warm. In a small bowl, whisk sugar and pectin until well incorporated. Add sugar-pectin blend to violet water and whisk until completely dissolved. Turn heat up to medium high and bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally. You want to stay close to the pot because it does have a tendency to bubble over if left unattended. Continue cooking until mixture has thickened slightly, about 5-10 minutes, skimming off any foam as you go (there will be a lot). Jelly is ready when it passes the chilled plate test. Make sure all foam has been removed and ladle jelly into clean, hot, sterile jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rims clean, center lids and screw on jar rings. Process in boiling water bath for 12 minutes. Remove jars and allow to cool for 24 hours. Press on center of lids after about 1 hour to make sure they’ve sealed. If the lid springs back, it did not seal properly and needs to be stored in the refrigerator. After 24 hours, label jars and store in pantry.