Fairy Jelly [Apple Lilac Jelly]

Marie Overton
Jan 17, 2023
2 min read

Updated: May 9

Fairy Jelly, also known as Apple Lilac Jelly, is a creative jelly. Creativity in the kitchen is what keeps canning fun for me. I have been playing with some of the floral jellies and they are so pretty as well as tasting good. This is the kind of jelly I want to gift to other people. It takes a little extra work to disperse the petals throughout the jelly but it is so worth it. The lilac petals look like little fairies floating through the jelly.

Hands cut lilac flowers in a garden, surrounded by lush green leaves and pale purple blooms. Bright, serene setting.

This recipe makes 6 half-pints of Fairy Jelly.

Hands carefully pluck lilac petals over a blue mug marked "1 Cup" on a granite countertop, creating a calm, precise mood.

Fairy Jelly [Apple Lilac Jelly] Ingredients:

4 cups apple juice
4 cups sugar
2 cups lilac blossoms
6 Tablespoons Pectin
1/2 Teaspoon Butter

Making Fairy Jelly [Apple Lilac Jelly]:

Person pours apple juice into a pot on a granite counter. Text reads "4 cups Apple Juice." Floral cup and basket in the background.

Person in apron pours white powder into pot on granite counter. Text reads "6 tablespoons Pectin." Colorful cup and basket nearby.

Place butter, apple juice, and pectin in a large pot and bring to a boil.

Wooden spoon stirs sugar in boiling pot. A hand holds lilac blossoms above it, kitchen background visible.

Pot on stove with boiling liquid, wooden spoon, and lilac flowers. Warm kitchen setting, creating a cozy and creative cooking scene.

Add sugar and lilac blossoms. Return to a boil and boil for 1 minute.

Equipment Preparation:

While your jelly is heating on the stove it is time to prepare your canning equipment.

Heat half pint jars.

Fill your boiling water bath canner half full with water and place it on the stove on low to begin heating. Do not let it get too hot, just warm it up.

Gather your ladle, jar lifter, chopsticks, clean cloth, and any other needed supplies for canning.

Filling and Processing Jars of Fairy Jelly [Apple Lilac Jelly]:

Person in apron ladles pink floral mixture into glass jars on a granite countertop. Nearby are a pot and stovetop, creating a cozy kitchen scene.

Using a jar funnel, fill the jars leaving 1/4-inch headspace.

If you spilled on the edge or rim of the jar, use a clean cloth to wipe the rim clean.

Place the lid on top of the jar and add the ring. Tighten the ring to fingertip tight.

Process in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes if at sea level. Remember to adjust your processing time if you are above 1000 feet in elevation.

Once your jars have completed processing, turn off the heat, remove the lid, and allow them to cool for 5 minutes. Then, use the jar lifter to remove them from the boiling water bath canner. Space the jars about an inch apart on a heat resistant surface for 24 hours to cool and completely seal.

Several jars of amber-colored jelly, inverted on a marble tray, with pieces floating inside. The background is a dark countertop.

This is an optional step: Allow the jars to cool and seal for about an hour. Then, in order to disperse the blossoms evenly, gently turn the jars every 30 minutes until it is cool and the blossoms are floating throughout the jelly.

After 24 hours, remove the ring and wash the jars paying particular attention to the threads.

If your jar did not seal, then place it in the refrigerator and use it immediately.

Jars of fairy jelly with lavender sprigs sit on a countertop. The bright, clear jelly contrasts with the soft purple lavender.

Store the sealed jars in a cool dry place to enjoy for the next 1-3 years. After three years the nutritional value of canned food diminishes. The quality is best during the first year.