Making Nasturtium Jelly!

Setup of  Nasturtium Flowers and Boiling Water Overnight

One of My Favorite Ways to Use Herbal Jelly

I  am so organized every season for my herbal jelly making.  I count last year's jelly that is left over.  I calculate need for jars, Certo and sugar and then I get sidetracked with a new kind of jelly recipe.  Sometimes it's because I have an overflowing amount of herbs or flowers which is a good thing.  This one is a spinoff of a Nasturtium Jam recipe from Miche Bacher's beautiful book Cooking with Flowers.  I have my go to base recipe and I took it from there.  Before you begin, you always need to wash jars and two piece lids and sterilize the jars by placing them in boiling water for 10 minutes.  You sterilize the inner lid by placing them in boiled water, but you don't have to boil them.  You don't have to sterilize the rings.   So here is my version of nasturtium jelly.

Nasturtium Jelly
Makes Four 8 oz. jars

2 cups of nasturtium flowers
2 cups of boiling water
2 T. of fresh lemon juice
Hot sauce to taste (I used 4 drops.)
3-1/2 cups of sugar
1 3 oz. package of Certo liquid pectin

Take the two cups of flowers and place in a lidded jar with 2 cups of boiling water.  Steep overnight.  Strain and measure 1-1/2 cups of nasturtium flavored water.  Put flavored water, lemon juice, hot sauce and sugar together in a 3 quart saucepan.  Stir constantly on high heat until you have a boil that can't be stirred down.  Take off the burner and add the Certo.  Return to a boil and boil for 1 minute exactly stirring constantly.  Remove from heat, skim foam, fill jars and put on lids.  Boil in a hot water bath for 5 minutes.  Inner lids should click down to indicate they are sealed.  If they don't, refrigerate those jars and consume them promptly.

This jelly has a peppery kick and a bit more from the hot sauce.  The first try I made was with 1-1/2 cups of flowers and 2 cups of water and it wasn't strong enough.  The Herbal Husband liked the second try more.  Although he said the first try was just a lighter version of the second.  So there you have it.  With thanks for the inspiration from Miche Bacher, I hope you enjoy making my nasturtium jelly.  It is a bit on the cool here.  Fall is definitely around the corner.  I don't mind the cooler weather.  I need a break from our garden.  It was more than overwhelming at times this year.  Praying for the victims of the Navy yard shooting.  Talk to you later.