So as the end of the peach season looms in the near future we decided to restock our supply of one of our very favorite preserves… Vanilla Peach Jelly. It’s a great way to preserve a taste of summer throughout the year and always makes a great gift as well. We got some wonderful but slightly soft and discolored yellow peaches from a local grower here in Nevada county that did not pass the visual test that most shoppers at the farmers markets are looking for but are exactly what this recipe needs. Although tempted to get as many as we could carry we held ourselves to a more reasonable flat and a half.

After a quick stop at the our favorite butcher www.villagesmokehouse.com to pick up some fresh lamb they had cut and wrapped for us and a quick peak at the steer that we sent them last week we headed back home to get started with our mission.

We assembled our supplies and rinsed our 8oz jars and the peaches. After getting a couple of pots of water boiling we began both sanitizing the jars and lids as well as putting the peaches into the other pot of boiling water and then after 30 sec putting them immediately into a bowl of ice water to cool them down. This blanching method is a very handy way to remove the skin of the peach and save as much of the flesh as possible. It is a technique that is only effective the fruit is ripe and soft.

After removing the skin, slicing the peach in half and removing the pit it is important to check to make sure that there are no remnants of pit or stem as even the smallest bit is unpleasant to find later. Then place them into your cooking vessel, filling about half way up. Using a potato masher or your own favored method, mash up the peaches! I like to leave a few chunks but not to much.

Then to every 2 quarts of peaches you are using add 1/2 cup of water and boil for about 10 minutes. While that’s boiling take 2-3 vanilla beans for every 2 quarts peaches and split them down the middle. Scrape out all the yummy seeds and add all of the seeds and beans to the boiling pot. Add 6 cups sugar to every 2 quays peaches and slowly bring it back to a boil. Once all the sugar has been disolved, boil rapidly until the mixture thickens. Be sure to stir like crazy!!! Use a candy thermometer to check when done. About 210-220 degrees should do the trick!

Then take out vanilla beans and ladle into your prepared jars and can it up!!! Make sure to scrape the pot for a piece of well deserved toast with warm jelly on it! Yum.