Tis the season for tea, warm and comforting in any form. Since the earliest times, tea has been renowned for its healing properties as a healthy and refreshing drink.
Today in my kitchen, our favorite teas are brewed into a unique and tasty spread for toast or any sandwich you like. Tea jellies are inexpensive, easy to make and loaded with benifincial vitiamns and herbs, depending on the tea used.
One of my personal favorites is Red Zinger jelly, this ruby red, tangy jelly wakes up any breakfast without the caffeine. Most herbal teas are decaffeinated so the jelly will be too.
Bursting with flavor, red zinger tea is a traditional African flu remedy with added cancer fighting compounds, plus it’s key ingredient, sorrel blossoms help keep the heart healthy. By brewing this tea into jelly you’ll be adding a spoonful of medicine to your diet in a delightful way.
Any flavored tea can be transformed into a simple and delicious jelly by using the basic tea jelly recipe below. No other added flavoring is needed for the red zinger jelly but some teas do require a touch of juice, use your imagination or read the ingredients on the box of tea, usually a hint is in the title of the tea like Lemon Zinger, Peach Mango, etc.

Tea Jelly Recipe

1 ¾ cup water
12 reg. Tea bags
¼ cup orange juice or related juice
3 cups sugar
1 3 0z. package liquid pectin
Bring water to boil, add tea bags and steep for 20 min. Discard tea bags and add juice, sugar to brewed tea and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 min. stirring. Remove from heat and add pectin, return to boil and allow to boil for 1 min. Skim off any foam. Pour hot jelly into jars and process for 15 min. Makes 6 pints.