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Roselle & Apple Jelly Recipe


Roselle & Apple Jelly Recipe
(aka Zippy Zinger Jelly!)

Ok, I made up the Zippy Zinger Jelly name but it has a tasty, tart/sweet flavor that you don't commonly find in other jellies! The flavor of the Roselle calyxes before adding sugar is in my mind, like a cross between an unsweetened cranberry and a bit of lemon. Rather than taking my word for it, you can snap a piece off and eat it raw!
This recipe can be made without apples but I LOVE the combination!

PREPARATION:

- To prep your Roselle calyxes, I recommend that you put them in a bowl and completely fill it with water to better wash them. There can be lots of debris in all of the nooks & crannies and you'll find this is a much more effective method to rinsing in a colander.

- Once they are clean you have two options, you can remove the inner seedpods, or you can leave them. Leaving the seedpods in place will actually reduce the amount of pectin you need to use (if any!). I like to remove the seedpods because it makes it easier for me to press the jelly through a small mesh colander after cooking, without needing to pick out the round pods.
~ TIP ~ You can use an apple corer to remove the seed pods by pressing it against the base of the calyx where the stem was originally attached and it will separate easily from the seedpod. 

- Once you have your Roselles prepped you will need approximately the same amount of apples. Wash, core, peel, and slice the apples.

COOKING:

- Pour the clean/prepped Roselle calyxes and Apples into a large saucepan and add enough water to almost cover them. (You can add more water if it seems to cook off too quickly)

- Simmer gently until very soft. 

- Once soft, you will need to strain the fibers out. I use a fine mesh colander and press it through with the back of a spoon.

- Most recipes call for equal amounts of sugar to your strained fruit. So for every cup of strained fruit, you will add a cup of sugar. I personally don't add as much sugar and it makes for a more tangy jelly but you need to add enough that it will still set up properly.

- Return the strained fruit to the saucepan and add your desired amount of sugar (If adding pectin, add it at this point and allow to dissolve completely). Stir over gentle heat until all of the sugar is dissolved and then increase the heat to simmer before canning into sterilized jars. 

Enjoy!

Let me know if you make your own variations! I'd love to hear about it!


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