Whiskey Sour Cocktail Jelly

By BH&G

A very clear and pretty jelly with orange and cherry garnish.

Ingredients

• 3 limes
• 2 lemons
• 4 1/2 c. sugar
• 1 1/2 c. water
• 1/4 c. bourbon
• 1 (6 oz.) pkg. liquid fruit pectin
• maraschino cherries (enough for each jar).
• orange slices (enough for each jar

Instructions

1. Juice the limes and lemons You will need 6 Tbsp. juice of each. In a 6-8 quart heavy pot, stir together the lime and lemon juice, sugar, water, and bourbon. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Quickly stir in pectin. Return to a full rolling boil; boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Quickly skim off foam with a metal spoon.
2. Place a cherry and an orange slice in each of  the hot, sterilized half-pint canning jars. Ladle hot jelly into jars, leaving a 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe jar rims; adjust lids and screw bands.
3. Process filled jars in a boiling-water canner 5 minutes (start timing when water returns to boiling). Remove jars from canner; cool on wire racks. Let stand at room temperature at least one week to set.

*Tip:  It helps if the orange slices are a bit larger than the diameter of the jar, then if you wedge them down in the jar, trapping the cherry underneath, the fruit will stay near the center of the jar when the jelly is added.  Be careful to get all the air bubbles out.  If this is a concern, use a cocktail stick (long toothpick).

Yield: 6 half pint jars

Again, this jelly can be poured on top of a block of cream cheese and no one will complain.  You can also use this as a glaze for cocktail meatballs or little smokies.

The final wrap up is tomorrow.  The Twelve Days of Jelly is coming to an end.  For the last installment and Mulled White Wine Jelly, tune in tomorrow on Christmas Eve.