An intensely flavoured berry sauce that can be used in many ways as a topping, syrup or jam.
Course Preserves
Cuisine American
Keyword Dairy-Free, Gluten-free
Essential Ingredient Blueberries
Prep Time 10 minutesminutes
Cook Time 20 minutesminutes
Total Time 30 minutesminutes
Servings 1pints
Calories 1944kcal
Equipment
Canner
Ingredients
2teaspoonsculinary lavenderdried
2 cupssugar
1 1/2 poundswild blueberriesor cultivated
1/2cup water
1tablespoonfreshly-squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
Prepare pot, tools and four 125mL jars for hot-water canning. Review our basic Canning 101 article.
Crush the lavender in a mortar and pestle, then combine it with the sugar. Use your fingers to rub it together to make a lavender sugar (See notes). Alternately, blitz both ingredients in a food processor until sugar is perfumed.
Rinse the berries and pick them over to remove any debris. Tumble them into a large, heavy bottomed pot or sauce pan. Add the water.
Over medium heat, gently warm the berries until they are soft and begin to darken, about 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and remove the berries with a slotted spoon.
Add the lavender sugar to the juices in the pot and stir to dissolve. Bring juice to a boil over high heat, and cook for another 3 minutes, until the juice reduces into a thin syrup.
Return the berries (and any juices) to the pot and bring to a boil again. Cook over medium high heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the lemon juice.
Ladle the blueberry preserves into sterilized jars within ¼ inch of rim. Wipe the rims with a warm cloth. Add the lids and the rings, tighten jut until finger-tip tight.
Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes Transfer the jars to a towel-lined surface and cool at room temperature for a full 24 hours. Preserves will keep for up to one year. Store in a cool, dry place.
Notes
1. You can make this recipe with cultivated blueberries, but the preserve with be slightly thinner than with wild. Wild blueberries have all sorts of natural pectin and that helps the preserve to gel somewhat,2.Lavender sugar is a delicious specialty ingredient to keep around, so you may want to make a little extra and keep it in a jar. Sprinkle it on top of scones or oatmeal. Sweeten your lemonade with it or use in shortbread.