Redbud Jelly How-to

Springtime gets us excited to get outdoors, and a great reminder of spring's arrival is the appearance of budding redbud trees. But did you know that the buds are edible? In this segment, we show you how to utilize this springtime delight by making redbud jelly. (Note: use 6 tablespoons of pectin, not 6 teaspoons)

4 cups of redbud blossoms
4 cups of water
4 cups white sugar
4 teaspoons of lemon juice
6 tablespoons sure jell fruit pectin
Canning jars of choice. Our presenter used 4 oz jars. 8 jars equals 32 ounces / 4 cups

Boil 4 cups of water. Add boiled water to 4 cups of blossoms in a bowl
Cover bowl and let sit in refrigerator for at least 24 hours
Strain the blossoms from the redbud 'tea'. Strain multiple times to ensure all blossoms and stems parts are removed from the tea.
Combine tea, sugar and lemon juice into a pot and stir until sugar is dissolved
Heat mixture on stove and then stir in pectin. Bring mixture to a hard boil.
After hard boil, remove from stove and let cool down.
Ladle mixture into sanitized jars. Allow a ¼ inch headroom so you do not overfill.
Apply and tighten lids to jars and transfer to a hot water bath in canning pot, ensuring all jars are sufficiently submerged in the water. Use jar tongs to handle hot jars. Use wire canning basket so jars are not touching bottom of canning pot.
Bring to a boil for 10 minutes to effectively seal the jars.
Remove from heat and completely cool.
Enjoy