Considering that I have made twelve different jams or jellies since December 1st and figuring that each recipe makes about six half-pint jars, that means I have made 72 (give or take) jars for Christmas presents this year.  (Actually, it’s much more than that when I take into consideration that most of the jars were 4 oz.)   And, considering that I have only twelve half pints left, that means I have gifted out a slew of jellies this year at work and to friends and family.  Let’s hope they all appreciated the booze-inspired preserves this year.  🙂

For the final installment, I was inspired by mulled wine.   We usually have some wassail or mulled wine on the stove at some point during the holidays.   I used some more of our homemade Pinot Grigio (like in the Mead Jelly) to make this final warming-spiced jelly.

Mulled White Wine Jelly

By Debra

This jelly is great on a cheese board (or on a PBJ!).

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 c. Pinot Grigio
• 1/4 c. bottled lemon juice
• 1/4 c. fresh orange juice, strained
• 1 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks, each broken in half
• 1/2  t. whole cloves
• 3 cardamom pods, crushed
• 1 (1.75 oz.) pkg. powdered pectin
• 4 1/2 c. sugar

Instructions

1. Sterilize jars and prepare water bath.
2. In a 6- to 8-quart heavy pot combine wine, lemon and orange juices, and pectin. Whisk until pectin is dissolved.
3. Place cinnamon sticks, cloves, and cardamom pods in a fine-meshed tea ball.  (Or, you may put the spices in a double thickness of cheesecloth and tie it up with kitchen twine.)  Add spice ball (or bundle) to the wine mixture.
4. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Add sugar.  Return to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly and boil hard for 1 minute, continuing to stir. Remove from heat. Remove spice ball.  Quickly skim off any foam with a metal spoon.
5. Ladle hot jelly into sterilized half-pint canning jars, leaving a 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe jar rims; adjust lids and screw bands.
6. Process filled jars in a boiling-water canner 5 minutes (start timing when water returns to boiling). Remove jars from canner.  Cool.

Yield: 6 half pint jars

This jelly (like many made this month) smells so festive and warming as it cooks.  It makes the house smell like Christmas.

Let’s  revisit all the Jellies of the Month, shall we?

All twelve days of jelly.

January
Mead Jelly (wine and honey)

February
Zombie Marmalade

March
Spiced Merlot Jelly

April
Bloody Mary Jam

May
Cardamon-Orange Sparkling Riesling Jelly

June
Aleppo-White Zinfandel Jelly

July
Cinnamon Coca-Cola Jelly

August
Limoncello Jelly

September
Spiced Apple Beer Jelly

October
Tequila-Pepper Jelly

November
Whiskey Sour Cocktail Jelly

December
Mulled White Wine Jelly

It’s been quite the journey but it has been a lot of fun.   These jellies honestly take little more than boiling water, opening a bottle or can and maybe peeling some citrus.

Thanks to Food ‘n Flix for the inspiration for Jelly of the Month Club.   You can read how I started on this weird holiday odyssey here with National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.

Merry Christmas from the Griswolds.

Happy Holidays!