Cramaillotte

by Joerg Engels

10K9733

Intro: Cramaillotte

Cramaillote or crameillote, is a french confiture made from dandelions. Tangy and aromatic, it has become popular for vegans as an alternative for honey.

STEP 1: Dandelion

First you need to harvest a lot of dandelions. Rule of thumb is 100 flowers per jar or 70grams per 200ml jelly.

Don't pick this one

And of course don't pick this one!

Yeah this one is right.

STEP 2: Ingredients

Equipment:

STEP 3: Do It in a Timely Manner

The yellow petals need to be picked as soon as possible after harvesting the flowers because they change their yellow into orange even brown.

STEP 4: Separating the Leaves

There are 2 ways to pluck the petals from the flower, either you avoid the green sepals and rip out the yellow petals. Or you cut the flower above the axis and then sort out the green sepals.

STEP 5: Preparation

Put the leaves into a cooking pot. The jelly needs a certain level of acidity to form. Therefore we add half of the juice of a lemon. If you have lemon juice in a bottle, the equivalent is 2 table spoons. Peel the apple and use the slicer to have small pieces in our dandelion stock. Fill up with 400ml water and bring to a boil.

STEP 6: Boiling

After the stock comes to a boil, reduce to a low heat for 30 minutes.

STEP 7: Preparing the Canning Jars

Meanwhile lay the mason jars and eligible equipment for 5 minutes in boiling water and let them dry top down on a clean dishcloth. Alternatively put them into a stove for 15 minutes at 130°C / 270°F. Let them cool down before use.

STEP 8: Filtering

After boiling for 30 minutes, put a strainer on a measuring cup and let the stock run into it.

STEP 9: Measuring

Take as much as you need for your jelly. If your mason jars have 500ml volume, you need 250ml stock.

STEP 10: Gelling Sugar

The sugar helps in gel formation and above 50% by weight, serves as a preservative. Since I took 250ml dandellion stock I now measure 250grams gelling sugar.

Back into the cooking pot and boil the mix while stirring for 4 minutes.

STEP 11: Gelling Strength

After boiling the mix for 4 minutes, test for gelling strength. Place a drop of the jelly on a plate and see if it runs down when you upend the plate. If it looks fine, place a canning funnel on your mason jars and fill the jelly to the brim.

STEP 12: Bottling

After filling to the brim you will probably see a lot of bubbles or even a layer of foam on top. Take a spoon and skim the bubbles off. Then close the jars tightly and let them rest for at least 5 minutes upside down. Tastes perfectly with brioches (the bun in the main picture)!

You can also fill some of the jelly into mouldings for nice visual effects:

30 Comments

jessyratfink 5 years ago

This is amazing! I have 11 acres full of dandelions and really want to try this out :D

38ren 5 years ago

I've been making dandelion honey ever since I started foraging, never even knew there was a name as fancy as "Cramaillotte" for it :)

Beautiful product shots!

Joerg Engels 5 years ago

"Miel de pissenlit" is the french description for "dandelion honey".

38ren 5 years ago

My mistake, I thought they were the same thing. Thanks for the knowledge!

input_de 5 years ago

Wo kann ich das in deutsch finden?

obillo 5 years ago

What is "gelling sugar"--a particular kind, or just ordinary sugar USED FOR gelling?

Joerg Engels 5 years ago

It is a prepared sugar mixture with pectin. Also dextrose, stabilizers and some acids were added. Just click on the link on the ingredients or mix it yourself with pectin.

obillo 5 years ago

Thanks, Joerg. I think I will try regular sugar and add the pectin I usually use when making jam.

PaulD279 5 years ago

Where in the world are you, Joerg? I spy an Enza apple - from New Zealand, where I live.

Joerg Engels 5 years ago

Supermarkets full of products from all over the world, aaaaah - the benefits of living in the European Union ..

ArronS8 5 years ago

So, how thick a 'jelly' does this tend to make, and more importantly, would it work to make vegan mead?

Joerg Engels 5 years ago

If you want liquid mead, why then turn the stock into jelly anyway? Just use the stock, let it cool down and add the sugar that you need for your fermentation.

RuffittDesign 5 years ago

I'm not a vegan, but I am a bit of a foodie. I'm looking forward to having a go at making a batch of this on the weekend.
The only thing I'm not sure about is the 'Gelling sugar'. How is something we can get in the UK? I've never heard of the stuff.

Joerg Engels 5 years ago

preserving sugar jam sugar gelling sugar

All the same.

Joerg Engels 5 years ago

This is actually the best product you could use.

More Comments