Honey Lemon Jelly

Be creative when choosing a honey.  There are really a lot of different flavored ones out there, dependent on what the bees are eating.  Contact your local bee keepers to sample and buy a special honey for your cupboard.  Clover honey will do just fine for this though.

Ingredients
2 or 3 medium lemons
1 1/2 c water
3 1/2 c sugar
3/4 c honey
1/2 6oz package of pectin or apple skins (see footnote*)
Makes 5 half pints


Directions

1. Using a peeler remove the yellow zest from one lemon.  Cut the peel into thin strips and set aside.  Squeeze the lemons to get 1/2 c lemon juice.  You can reserve the rest or grind the leftovers up in your garbage disposal for a sink cleaning.
2. In 6 qt (nonreactive) pan combine lemon juice, lemon peel strips, and water.  Add sugar.  Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until sugar is dissolved. Add  honey.  Bring to a rolling boil stirring constantly.  Add pectin all at once or peels and return to boil.
3. If using pectin:  Stir constantly and boil for 1 minute. Proceed to step 4.

         If using peels: allow mixture to simmer for 10 minutes stirring frequently. Remove peels with        slotted spoon after ten minutes and proceed with step 4.

     4.  Turn heat off.  Skim foam from surface.  Remove peels of lemon with slotted spoon.

     5.  Ladle hot jelly into hot sterilized 1/2 pint jars.  Wipe rims and affix lids with rims finger tight.

     6.  Process in water bath for 5 minutes.

*I like to use apple peels for pectin.  I simply carve away the peels with a knife leaving 1/4" or so of apple meat.  The natural pectin in the apples is sensible to me.  However, your jelly will not be completely clear as the apple will boil off and fall into the mixture.  I think the taste difference is slight and my kids love it.  I you want clear jelly, use pectin. For this small of a batch I would use the peels from 1 large green apple.