Making jellies and jams is slowly but surely becoming one of my favorite (and most delicious) hobbies yet. There is just something delightfully pleasant about being in your kitchen in the early hours of daylight, listening to Carole King while you fill the room with smells of sweetness from the stove.

This is the first batch of this jelly, so there will be more experiments to come! 🙂

Ingredients: (yields about 6-8 jars)

• 12 cups blueberries, no stems or leaves
• 7 to 7-1/2 cups sugar (depending on how sweet you like it)
• zest of 4 limes
• 5 limes, juiced

First, rinse blueberries and place them in a large pot. Crush blueberries in bowl with potato masher to let juices out. Then add in sugar, lime juices and zests. Bring sauce to boil on medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once sugar is melted in, bring heat up to medium high and cook until foamy and the syrup is thickening. Stir often. Skim off excess foam with spoon.

Your spoon should leave a slight trail in sauce once gelled. To check if jelly is ready, spoon some out on a dish and let it cool. If it’s still too saucy, keep on heat a few more minutes until desired consistency.

Once ready to can, make sure excess foam is all skimmed off top. Spoon jelly into freshly cleaned and boiled jars, leaving a quarter inch of space between top. Place (freshly cleaned and boiled) lids and rings on top. Process jars in hot water bath for 12-15 minutes. Transfer and  set on towel on counter until cooled.

Make sure tops of lids are sealed (they should not release if you press on top), labeled and put them away in your fridge or pantry until you need them! Or give them as gifts to your friends! 🙂

*Any unprocessed or sealed jars should be put in fridge and used in 1 month!

*Use new lids every time!