Preserving Summer: Tangerine-Lemon Jelly

 I’ve been a jam and jelly-making fool lately.  It’s not that we eat either one at every single meal, but we do enjoy a taste occasionally.  I just enjoy using the bounty of the season in ways that I can share with others, and this is one way that I do that.  It’s always nice to have a little something to send home with guests and visitors or as a little birthday or seasonal gift.

If you’ve been following Dining With Debbie at all, you know how much I love, love anything tart, especially lemons and limes.  This simple jelly fills that bill quite well.  It may be a sweet jam, but it retains that little bit of pucker as well.  It makes a delicious topping on English muffins, toast or biscuits and adds some wow to a peanut butter sandwich.  Plus, it is totally summer in a jar.

I just may be addicted, actually.

It reminds me a little of lemon curd but without the added butter.  And just like lemon curd, I bet this jelly would be awesome on warm gingerbread. 

Gingerbread?  I believe I’ll go bake some right now and let you know how this jelly works on that.

Tangerine-Lemon Jelly

Makes 5 1/2 cups

3 lemons
9-10 tangerines
1 box dry fruit pectin
4 1/2 cups granulated sugar

Squeeze the lemons and tangerines to give 4 cups of juice.  Bring the juice to a boil over high heat in a large stainless steel or enamel saucepan, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from the heat.

Strain juice through sieve lined with a coffee filter in order to get a very clear jelly.  Return strained liquid to saucepan and stir in pectin.  Bring to a full boil over high heat, reduce heat and boil gently for 1 minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.

Ladle into sterilized jars and process in a water bath canner for 5-6 minutes after the water returns to a boil.

Need canning directions?  Go see how to do that on my post for Autumn Fruit Jam.

Adapted from Small Batch Preserving, 2001 by Topp and Howard