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I'm so excited that the dandelions are blooming in our area again like little dots of sunshine and that I can finally share another dandelion recipe with you! Dandelions are always one of the first wild plants that we forage, along with stinging nettle, after our long and dark winters in Northern Germany. And like nettle they are one of the most nutrient-rich plants you can find – and for free!

But please keep in mind that they are also the first food for bees who depend on them, so wait until there's plenty to pick from 🐝

Last year I share a couple of great and easy dandelion recipes such as bee-free vegan dandelion honey and scrumptious dandelion cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. For this year, I've got even more planned, so stay tuned ... starting with this easy homemade dandelion & orange jam! Or marmalade? Or jelly? (Although I'd say it doesn't have that jiggly jelly consistency that for example my Himalayan balsam jelly has ...) You decide!

This dandelion jam tastes fruity and citrusy, and it reminds me of apricot jam with a hint of orangey bitterness. Very, very lovely! And pretty to look at.

I mean, just look at this vibrant orange golden colour! A jar of sweet, sweet sunshine. (Perfect recipe for Litha, the Midsummer festival!)

It's also a great recipe to make with kids who can help you with picking and plucking the dandelion flowers, and of course cooking and eating them! Since the entire plant is edible, this is a very safe way to introduce your kids to foraged foods 😊

 

VEGAN DANDELION & ORANGE JAM

Preparation time: 2 hours
Main ingredients: dandelion flowers, jam sugar, lemons, oranges
difficulty level: easy
makes: 3 jam jars
suitable for: vegan, lactose-free, gluten-free, yeast-free, nut-free, fat-free

Ingredients

300 g (about 6 handfuls) fresh dandelion flowers
2 organic lemons
2 organic oranges
1 organic apple with peel, roughly chopped
1 litre (4 cups) filtered water
500 g (2 1/2 cups) jam sugar (I use 2:1 gelling sugar)

also:
- clean, sterilized jars with screw-on lids (I re-use old jam jars that I sterilized with boiling water)
- a saucepan
- a nut milk bag, cheesecloth or gauze

Instructions

Preparing the dandelion flowers:

Place your freshly picked dandelion flowers outside on a kitchen towel or in a bowl or colander. Leave them out in a shady spot for about an hour or so to give any creepy crawlies a chance to escape.

Pluck the yellow petals from the flower head, while discarding the green bits which are very bitter. You will need some patience for this process, but it's worth it :) Plus, if the entire family pitches in to help, it's quite fun and doesn't take nearly as long!

(BTW: You can collect the leftover dandelion greens and give them to your chickens, bunnies, guinea pigs or goats! Or feed your compost with them.)

If you like, you can give your flowers a light spray of water in a fine mesh to remove any bits of dust of dirt before using them to cook. You can also use them unwashed, that way you preserve the pollen. It's up to you!

Making the jam:

Place plucked dandelion petals (reserving a good handful for mixing into the jam later) and the chopped apple into a saucepan. Juice 2 lemons, then slice and add to the saucepan. Repeat with the oranges.

Add filtered water, and gently bring to a boil. Once at a boil, switch off the heat and allow to steep until it reaches room temperature, about 1 hour. To intensify flavour, you can also use a potato masher to mash the mixture intermediately.

After steeping, strain the soaking liquid (I use a nut milk bag, but a cheesecloth or a fine mesh also work), wringing out every last bit of the dandelion tea. Compost the leftover dandelion/apple/citrus pulp, or feed to your chicken.

Return the dandelion tea to the saucepan, add the jam sugar, and slowly bring to a boil. Stirring occasionally, allow the mixture to stay at a rolling boil until the jam reaches setting point, using the wrinkle test: Spoon a small amount of the jam on a plate that has been placed in the refrigerator or freezer for about 10 minutes. After about a minute, you can push the jam with your fingertip. If it wrinkles, your jam is ready!

Stir in the reserved dandelion petals, and fill the hot jam into sterilized glasses. Screw the lids, and allow to set.

Once set and cooled, enjoy your homemade dandelion & orange jam on bread or with yogurt, or however you like to eat your jam!

Stored in a cool and dark place, this dandelion honey keeps for about 1 year.

TIPS & NOTES:
- Make flavour variations of this recipe by adding herbs or flowers like rose buds, apple blossoms, lavender or rosemary twigs, or spices like vanilla bean, turmeric or ginger. You could also change up the flavour by using hot chamomile tea, apple juice or pineapple juice instead of hot water for steeping the dandelions.
- For an even more jam-like consistency, skip the straining of the dandelion petals and the orange flesh and peel. Instead, just remove the lemon peel (or leave it in for a very intense citrus flavour), and use an immersion blender to blend everything into a homogenous liquid. Then continue as per recipe, by adding sugar and boiling it until reaches setting point. This jam will have a greenish tint and a much more intense flavour!

Dandelion Cupcakes (vegan)

Dandelion Honee (Vegan Honey)