Since my sister has been demanding peach jelly from me for a year, I thawed out some juice and got to work. Jelly is an awesome way to preserve the sweetness of summer fruits to enjoy all year long. One swipe of this jelly on a piece of toast in the dead of winter will bring all the thoughts of summer and sun right back.
Peach Jelly Recipe
Ingredients:
3 cups peach juice (about 3 pounds of ripe peaches and 1/2 cup water)
5 cups of sugar
1/2 cup bottled lemon juice
1 box powdered pectin
Directions:
To Prepare Juice: Wash and slice or chop fully ripe peaches. Do not pit or peel. Crush fruit. Place crushed fruit and 1/2 cup water in saucepan. Cover, bring to a boil, and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Extract juice (I usually squish the peaches through a mesh strainer for this).
To Make Jelly: Measure sugar and set aside. Measure prepared juice, powdered pectin, and lemon juice into a large sauce pan. Bring to a full boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. At once, stir in sugar. Bring to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. Boil for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, quickly skim off foam. Pour jelly immediately into hot, sterile canning jars, leaving less than one inch space from rim. Wipe jar rims and adjust lids. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath.
And be sure to send a jar of it to your sister!
