What a gorgeous color. I'm inspired. Would pansies work? I have some lavender Johnny Jump Ups, but I'm thinking it'd take a zillion of them to make jelly.

Oh, yes, momj47! I've made it before and all my friends loved it. I noticed the violets were up a couple of days ago and am hoping to get some of them to make the jelly.

Yes, katiec, it does take quite a few, but its worth every bit of the time picking them.

Madonna

Never heard of violet jelly! NOTHING is growing here yet, so I hope I will remember to try this when my violets finally do come up and bloom! Thanks for posting.

Beautiful! What is your recipe?

Very cool!

Tres cool!!

I don't have a lot of violet plants in my garden, but I will have lilac.

I will be making lilac ice cream soon.

dcarch

Here's the recipe I use

Wild Violet Jelly

Two cups fresh violet flowers (no stems), well rinsed and drained.
2 cups boiling water
1/4 cup strained lemon juice (bottled is fine)
4 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon rosewater (very optional, I have some!)
1 package liquid pectin (I use Certo)

Place rinsed flowers in glass bowl, pour boiling water over the flowers, cover and steep for at least two hours, overnight, or up to 24 hours.

Strain the liquid through a fine mesh sieve and use a wooden spoon to press all the liquid from the flowers, then squeeze the rest of the liquid out. It will be dark purple/blue.

If necessary, you can store this infusión in the fridge for a few days.

Put infusion into a large stainless pot, add lemon juice - it will turn light purple.

Add sugar and bring to a rolling boil, stirring frequently to ensure that the sugar dissolves.

Let it continue to boil for a few minutes, and when you have a good rolling boil, add the liquid pectin - return to a boil, stirring constantly (it will foam up A LOT) and cook for exactly 1 minute.

Remove from heat, and follow the instructions for filling jars - I got about 9 little jelly jars (1/2 cup). Wipe the rims, put on the lids, screw on the rings, and process for 10 minutes in hot water bath.

It takes the kids and me less than an hour to pick 3-4 loosely packed cups of flowers (weeds, according to the neighbors). I use a lot of flowers because the color is so great.

My DD and DGD and DGS were picking dandelions today - she found a recipe for dandelion jelly!!

Here is a link that might be useful: Link

This post was edited by momj47 on Mon, Apr 21, 14 at 16:41

Thank you. Must.find.violets.

So pretty! Must be a lovely treat at the breakfast table. There's something so refined about violets!

If you don't have violets in your yard, you can probably find them in your neighbors' yards.

LOL

I have plenty of violets but I consider them noxious weeds. Never thought of using them in jelly! The color is so pretty.

Beautiful pic, momj47! Please post if you also have a good recipe for candied violets! I've tried a couple recipes that haven't worked well for me. :p

This looks like Amethyst in a jar. Just beautiful!

I love violets, but I've only crystallized them. Never crossed my mind to use them for jelly.

I don't know where I'll get my hands on fresh violets, but I'm going to raid my property (and maybe the neighbor's, while they're out :) because I'd love to make this, just to put it on display - it is that pretty.

Sol

This recipe can be used to make jelly from any edible flower

There are probably many flowers that make jelly in beautiful colors.

My friend and I made violet jelly and spent an hour picking the little flower heads to get two cups. When you put the lemon juice in the infusion it turns pink! Wish it stayed the lovely dark violet color like the flowers. I don't use artificial colorings so I was bummed and it only made 4 4ounce jars!
Nancy

Absolutely lovely Mom. I've never heard of violet jelly........what does it taste like........I know violets!!!

Do you use it with cheese or do you serve it with toast? I'm intrigued.

I was able to find three violets. ;(

Will these work?

Yes, but there won't be much color. Any edible flower will work, and the deeper the color, the better the color of the jelly.

My yard, and the yards of my neighbors are full of violets. They are considered weeds. I like them though, so I won't let them be weeded out.

Most of our violets are white - wouldn't make a very pretty jelly. I was thinking of mixing them with the purple ones we do have, won't be as deep a color, but does the jelly actually taste like anything except sugar?

Too windy today to pick - I told DD they'd all blow out of her bucket. Dandelions are just flowering, lilacs have leaf buds but will be a while for flowers, I'm interested in the lilac jelly and ice cream since I love the smell of lilacs, figured that might taste more floral than the violets?