Description
A bright, nostalgic jelly capturing the creamy orange‑vanilla essence of a Dreamsicle, perfect for toast, biscuits, or as a topping.
Ingredients
- 4 cups freshly squeezed orange juice
- 4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 vanilla beans, split and scraped
- 1 pat of butter
- 1 box pectin (optional—see Notes)
Instructions
- Strain the freshly squeezed orange juice through cheesecloth into a large pot.
- Add sugar, the vanilla bean pods and their scraped seeds, and the pat of butter to the pot.
- Bring the mixture to a hard boil over high heat.
- If using pectin: stir in the entire box of pectin and continue stirring until the mixture returns to a hard boil; boil for exactly 1 minute.
- If not using pectin: continue boiling until the mixture reaches 220 °F (104 °C) and maintain this boil for 3 minutes.
- Remove the pot from heat and take out the vanilla bean pods.
- Ladle the hot jelly into prepared sterilized jars, wiping rims clean before sealing.
- Process the filled jars in a boiling‑water canner for 10 minutes.
- Remove jars and place them on a towel‑lined countertop in a draft‑free area. Over several hours, every 10 minutes turn jars upside down and right‑side up so the vanilla specks distribute evenly.
- Once cooled, check seals. Refrigerate any unsealed jars; store sealed jars in the pantry.
Notes
- Jelly may take some time to set, especially due to citrus content—be patient.
- Pectin is optional: using it speeds setting, while without pectin you must reach and hold the correct temperature for a proper gel.
- Turning the jars during cooling helps prevent the vanilla seeds from settling.
- One pat of butter helps reduce foaming during boiling.
- Yield: about 6–8 half‑pint jars.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tbsp
- Calories: approximate—see note
- Sugar: Very high (approx. 56 g per tbsp)
- Sodium: Low
- Fat: Low
- Saturated Fat: Minimal
- Carbohydrates: High
