violet jelly candy recipe
Author: 
Recipe type: dessert
Cook time: 
Total time: 
 
Ingredients
  • 45 to 50 g powdered yellow pectin*
  • 1 cup of sugar, divided (Divide into two ½ cup amounts. This is about 115 g each.)
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup of light corn syrup
  • ¾ cup water
  • 2 teaspoons violet extract
  • 2 teaspoons citric acid
  • Purple food coloring (I prefer the McCormick, liquid neon purple color. I've tried the Wilton Violet gel and it looks too gray. Gray jellies are not very appetizing.)
Instructions
  1. Prepare a 9 x 5" loaf pan by lining it with parchment paper. I also recommend preparing your mis en place fully before starting.
  2. Important step: In order to prevent clumping of the pectin, you MUST mix it with ½ cup of the sugar first. Use a whisk or a fork to completely mix and resolve dry clumps. Afterwards, mix in the baking soda.
  3. In a small sauce pan, stir together the pectin-sugar mix, water and baking soda over medium heat. Concurrently, in a medium sauce pan, mix together the remaining sugar and corn syrup and cook over medium heat. Heat the pectin mix to a completely smooth mixture, stirring with a whisk. When the sugar-corn syrup mixture is fully boiling, add the pectin mixture and continue to whisk for one minute. Set your timer to do this.
  4. Now, remove the pot from the heat and add in the violet extract, citric acid, and two drops of liquid purple food coloring. Stir to combine and immediately pour into prepared loaf pan.
  5. Set loaf pan in undisturbed area overnight at room temperature. You may cover it loosely with foil when completely cool.
  6. The next day, sprinkle a cutting board with sanding sugar. Invert loaf pan to release jellies. You may need to use a knife to loosen gently. Peel parchment away and gently sugar this side also. Cut into small squares, in about 1½ cm squares or find small cute cookie cutters or aspic cutters to cut flower shapes. You can also cut very tiny cubes and place on tops of cupcakes as delightful and tasty toppers.
  7. Dredge completely and sanding sugar and serve immediately. These keep well at room temperature using an airtight container if storing longer-term. If you find the jellies have the dreaded weepy look to them, try to dry them out for another day at room temperature and re-sugar. Using silica gel packs in your storage containers also help.
Notes
* I give the range of 45g to 50g of yellow pectin to give you a choice of a slightly softer bite. These are true jellies, firmer than pate de fruit.

Violet sugar
Since I did not have true sweet violets, I made this sugar with the bland, unscented common blue violets in my yard back in April. If you want to make your own sugar out of season, you can order pesticide-free flowers from various flower shops or gourmet food shops. Make sure you wash and dry the flowers very well before using, or else you'll have dirty tasting sugar.

Another great use for this sugar: make candied violets and use this sugar to dredge. Purpley!

½ cup sugar, divided
¼ cup violet petals, prepared (see below)
a few scratches of finely zested lemon
1 to 2 drops of violet essence, optional

1. Before plucking the petals from the heads, gently rinse and blot violets. Pluck off the petals and set aside.
2. Pour ¼ cup sugar in a food processor or spice blender, and add in the petals and lemon zest.
3. Pulse the mixture until you have a brilliant purple sugar and violet petals are no longer chunky pieces. Add in the remainder of the sugar and blend until fine. The now purple sugar will feel like moist sand to the touch.
4. Turn on your oven for one minute then turn it off, just to give enough warmth to begin the drying process. Too high heat can cook the violets too much, thereby dulling the color. Spread the violet sugar on a parchment-lined tray and place in oven. The mixture should be completely dry before bottling. Give it a few hours.
5. In batches, give the violet sugar a few whirs in the spice blender to break up chunks.
6. Pour into cute bottles, storing in a cool, dark place. The color will fade in time and sugar can be stored for a few months.

* Alas, I do not have the English violet with which to cook, the most fragrant of the violets. Cheating a bit with violet essence does no harm seeing as I'm using flavorless common blue violets.

Important note: I will repeat this on each of my posts about edible violets. African violets are not the same as edible violets, genus Viola. Again, African violets are in the genus Saintpaulia and NOT edible!
Recipe by story of a kitchen at https://www.storyofakitchen.com/dessert-recipes/violet-jelly-candy-recipe/