I used the Pomona’s Pectin rose petal jelly but swapped for lilacs. My lilacs were purple. All the other lilac jellies I see online are red or pink. Any idea on where I went wrong? Just my lilacs chemistry? Thanks 😊
https://pomonapectin.com/rose-petal-jelly-2/
by McMagz1987
3 Comments
Hi u/McMagz1987,
For accessibility, please reply to this comment with a transcription of the screenshot or alt text describing the image you’ve posted. We thank you for ensuring that the visually impaired can fully participate in our discussions!
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Canning) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Calcium makes things more basic, which can change the colour. And the most vibrant lilac syrups/jellies I have made have had lemon juice in them (an acid). So maybe something to do with pH?
Some lilacs retain color better then others, so it could just be the type of lilac you used. Also, a LOT of the recipes will not mention in the ingredients, but in the comments that they use berry juice or dye to get the color shown.
This recipe (https://practicalselfreliance.com/lilac-jelly/) mentions it in the info dump:
Once you’ve separated the petals, the next step is to make lilac tea. Here’s where the color magic happens!
When you pour boiling water over the lilac petals, the water may turn a turquoise green. That’s what you’re looking for since once lemon juice is added that’ll quickly turn bright pink.
(The pectin also contains citric acid, so you won’t have a choice, it will turn pink/purple even if you’d like to keep that neat green color.)
The same thing happens to violet jelly, and the color compounds in blueberries and blackberries have some of the same properties.
Some of our lilacs don’t give up their color, and white lilacs won’t contribute any color at all. If you still want that beautiful pink/purple color, add a few mashed blueberries or blackberries into the jar before you make the tea. They’ll contribute a deep color that will turn pink once lemon juice is added as well.
*(Or don’t worry about the color, and just enjoy the flavor if you don’t mind a light brown/tan jelly that will come as a result of using white lilacs. We eat with our eyes as much as with our mouths, and I think the color really contributes to the experience, but to each his own.)*
This one (https://www.lordbyronskitchen.com/lilac-blossom-jelly/#recipe) specifically mentions using blackberries in the recipe itself at least.
This one (https://www.binkysculinarycarnival.com/lilac-jelly/#recipe) again, hides it in the infodump under “Pro Tips”
The **color of your lilac blooms will affect the color of the jelly**. White blooms will make a slightly yellow jelly. Lilac colored blooms will make a pink jelly. Dark purple blooms will make a purple jelly.
* If you would like the **jelly a darker color**, you can add mashed blueberries or blackberries to the tea while it is steeping.
And this one looks just like yours! [https://commonsensehome.com/how-to-make-lilac-jelly/#tasty-recipes-31624-jump-target](https://commonsensehome.com/how-to-make-lilac-jelly/#tasty-recipes-31624-jump-target)
So it seems it’s partly the acids used, but it should still be fine for jelly.