How To Make Apple and Dandelion Petal Jam

Homemade Jam Recipes

Ingredients: Apple and Dandelion Petal Jam Recipe

2 lb / 1,000 grams of eating apples
2 lb / 1,000 grams of white granulated sugar (approximately)
34 fl oz / 1,000 ml of tap water (approximately)
100 dandelion flower heads (wash and keep these in a bag or air-tight container to remain fresh)
1 teaspoon of grated fresh ginger (this is optional)
2 lemons
1 orange

Method - What To Do

This recipe is a great way to make use of troublesome dandelions, which can become quite a problem in even the smallest garden unless dealt with quickly. As they only have a relatively short flowering period, in early spring, don't miss out on this recipe and forget to pick the flowers before they turn to seed and the all too familiar dandelion clocks arrive, with their parachutes ready to invade every corner of your garden. If you would like your finished product to have a more savoury flavour, then add in a few sprigs of thyme, rosemary or similar herbs to the initial boil.

Wash and coarsely chop the apples into pieces - do not peel and do not core. Add all of the chunks into a big deep saucepan and pour on the water. Ideally, you should have just about enough water to cover the apples. This should be between 1 litre and 1.5 litres of water. Add the zest and juice of the two lemons and one orange, together with the petals from 50 dandelion flowers and the teaspoon of grated ginger.

Bring the mixture to boiling point, allowing it to simmer for roughly 45 minutes, so that the fruit is softened without turning into a saucepan of apple sauce pulp. Your liquid will now be full of natural pectin and should be strained.

Slowly and carefully pour the contents of the saucepan into a large muslin bag or strainer covered in muslin (or perhaps an old net curtain), and then leave for at least five or six hours (ideally overnight), so that all of the apple juices can drip freely. Avoid any temptation to squeeze and press this mixture, as any pulp that falls through may result in a cloudy jam, rather than a clear jam.

Once your muslin bag has stopped dripping of its own accord and you are sure that you have collected all of its valuable juices, use a jug to measure the volume of clear liquid that you have been left with and pour this back into the saucepan as you measure. For every 500 ml of apple and dandelion juice that you have strained, add 400 grams of sugar (350 grams to 375 grams if you prefer a less sweet jam).

Gradually heat up the liquid and keep stirring so that the sugar quickly dissolves away. Allow the liquid to boil strongly for ten minutes, stirring occasionally, and then add in the flower petals from the remaining 50 washed dandelions.

Remove your apple and dandelion petal jam from the heat and stir well, so that the petals are evenly mixed. Allow the jam to cool for between 15 and 20 minutes, so that it begins to thicken, meaning that the petals will be more evenly distributed in the jars. Give one final mix and ladle into the glass jam jars, which should have been sterilised beforehand.

Apple and Dandelion Petal Jam Recipe - More Jam Recipes.