Lilly pillies make great hedges and you can find them in just about every neighbourhood in Australia. But what many don’t know is that the fruit from these trees are full of vitamin c and are known for their healing and anti-bacterial properties.

And, like so many indigenous species of fruits from Australia…they make amazing jams, jellies, cordials and chutney.

The recipe I am going to share today is for Lilly Pilly Jelly. A clear jelly that is amazing on toast and fantastic on scones.

It has a tartness to it which I find irresistible.

This recipe couldn’t be easier. No seeding the fruit, just throw them in a pot and away you go.

Of course, if you want to make jam or chutney out of your harvested lilly pillies be warned…it takes aaaages! Which is why I stick to the simple method of jelly making instead. 

Now if you don’t know, when I refer to jelly I’m talking about a set clear jelly that you would use just like a jam but without the fruit suspended within. Not a jelly you would eat with ice-cream.

Now there's a thought, lilly pilly syrup would be amazing with ice-cream! 🍨

Anyhow…I digress!

Let’s just focus on the jelly this year and hopefully I’ll remember to make that syrup next year. 😉

Even though lilly pillies come in a variety of sizes and colours, my research tells me they are all edible so if you have access to some, you can make this jelly.

To know if your Lilly pillies are ready to be harvested, look for plump fruit that is still holding its shape.

You can taste them too. They're like little apples and have a crispy texture but many are very tart…so be prepared to pucker up after trying them. 😂

If you haven’t delved into preserving before, this is a great recipe to start with because it really is so simple.

You boil the fruit in water, then the liquid is strained and weighed and then an equal amount of sugar is added together with lemon juice.

Then you boil again and voila...you have jelly! 🤩

💡When making jellies, it’s the liquid that's used so you can really use any amount of fruit. However, I would suggest you stop at 500g for a single batch.

In jam or jelly making it’s best to keep batches relatively small so that the flavour of the fruit is preserved.

If you make huge batches, the mixture needs to cook for longer to get it to jell which means the flavour is compromised.

Lilly pillies are naturally high in pectin, so you should only need to add lemon juice to get it to set.

You will also need to sterilse your jars before you start. If you don't know how to do that, just follow the simple steps HERE.

So, without further ado…let’s make it!

Lilly Pilly Jelly

Ingredients

• Lilly pilly fruit, up to 500g
• Water
• Sugar
• Lemon juice from 2 lemons

Method

1. Place 3 small saucers into the freezer.
2. Place the lilly pillies into a large pot and wash well by agitating the water then drain.
3. Place the fruit into a large wide heavy based pot or preserving pan and fill with water until it comes to just under the top level of the fruit.
4. Bring to the boil and cook until the fruit is soft.
5. Place a large piece of doubled over muslin or a clean cotton tea towel inside a colander and place this over another pot. Drain the liquid but don’t press the fruit as this will make the jelly cloudy.
6. Leave it to sit for 30 minutes so the liquid can drain fully.
7. Measure the liquid on a set of scales. Whatever the liquid weighs is the amount of sugar you need to add.  
8. Place the strained liquid, sugar and lemon juice into a saucepan and stir over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved.
9. Bring to the boil until it jells when tested on a cold plate. The time this takes will vary depending on the amount of jelly you are making.
10. To test, remove a saucer from the freezer and place a teaspoon of liquid onto the saucer. Leave it for 30 seconds, then using your finger, push the jelly from the edge and if it wrinkles, it is ready. If it doesn’t it needs to boil for longer.
11. When the jelly is ready, bottle into sterilised jars. Find out how to sterilise jars HERE.

Storage

• The jelly will last for 1 year in properly sterilised jars unopened and stored in a cool cupboard.
• Once opened store the jelly in the refrigerator for up to 6 months. 

I hope you enjoy this recipe, and as always, if you have any questions at all just let me know at [email protected]

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