Make Dandelion "Honey" instead! Here's how witches!
What you need:
*4 cups dandelion flowers
*4 cups water
*1/4 teaspoon vanilla (or 1/4 a bean)
*3 slices of lemon (or orange if you prefer)
*2 1/2 cups sugar
*Saucepan
*Cheese cloth or very thin kitchen towel
That's literally all it takes. Here's the breakdown.
1st day:
*Pick all your dandelions. Mid morning/day is best when they are fully open, and you need to do it fast, because your flowers will close after picking if you wait too long.
ONLY PICK DANDELIONS THAT HAVE HAD NO PESTICIDES/CHEMICALS ON THEM. (Preferably from your yard if you don't spray them. Be careful in parks etc as they often use weed killers)
*Once you've picked them, you need to remove ALL the green parts, and I do mean all of it.The petals will fall apart and look somewhat like pulp, and that's correct. The more of the green you remove, the sweeter the honey, and the brighter the color. Green parts are BITTER.
*Once you have the pulpy like petals measure it out to 4 cups. (don't mash them in, nor do you have to "pack" it super tight.)
*Cut 3 slices from your lemon/orange (3 is plenty. If you over do it, you'll lose the floral flavor)
*Put these into a saucepan with 4 cups of water
*Add your vanilla (again lighter is better than too heavy or it will over power. We're just trying to get a "note" of it)
*Bring it to a boil quickly on high heat
*Remove it as soon as it boils, cover it at let it sit overnight (yes overnight. At least 7-8 hrs)
Day 2:
*Pour the mixture over your cheese cloth into a bowl, straining out any pieces of flower, lemon etc. Squeeze it hard, and get every drop you can out.
*In a clean sauce pan pour the mixture back in and turn it on med-high heat. We're looking for another boil!
*Once it's at a boil, start stirring in the 2 1/2 cups of sugar slowly and get it all dissolved. Once dissolved turn the heat down and simmer (it still needs to be bubbling) for an hour. Do not be tempted to go under that hour. It must boil down to get the thickness.
*At the hour mark, you can test a bit on the plate. It will thicken as it cools, so if you like the consistency, it's time to jar it!
BAM YOU HAVE DANDELION HONEY!
Notes:
*It only lasts up to 6 months in the fridge, so this is NOT a full canning recipe.
*I used 4oz small jars, and this recipe made 6 little jars and 1/2 of the 7th.
*You can double this recipe easily and get a full 13.
*It must be refrigerated.
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