• Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
Tea Cachai
  • Home
  • Tea Reviews
  • Tea School
  • Recipes
  • Shop
    • Shop My Favorites
    • My Amazon Store
  • About
Sweets  /  June 30, 2020  /  Updated October 1, 2021

Low-Calorie Earl Grey Tea Jelly

by Tea Cachai

Share and enjoy! (or save for later):

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

I love creating and developing recipes with tea, and I wanted to make a tea jelly for a while, but the only thing that kept me from doing it was the huge amount of sugar that I saw it’s usually used. After doing research and some recipe testing, I came up with a recipe with absolutely ZERO sugar that tastes amazing!

Earl Grey Tea Jelly(Please note this post contains affiliate links. I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you if you click through and make a purchase. I only recommend products I’ve tried and liked. Thanks for supporting my blog!)

A while ago, I purchased an Earl Grey tea jelly from TWG Teas (which was amazing), so I researched how to make jelly at home to replicate it once I ran out of it. The recipe called for pectin so I bought the first brand I could find on the store and tried a recipe based on a fruit jelly. Disaster. It used 4 cups of sugar and it never set. Worst of both worlds.

What is Pectin?

It is a natural and commercially produced ingredient commonly used in preserves. Without pectin, jellies and jams won’t gel. It is a type of starch, that occurs naturally in the cell walls of fruits and vegetables and gives them their structure. When pectin is combined with sugar and acid, it develops a semisolid texture when it’s cooled.

This is why many jam and jelly recipes use SO MUCH SUGAR, because they need it to react with pectin in order to gel. Also, finding the right temperature and time to boil is crucial, because overcooking can cause pectin to ‘break’ and lose its gelling property.


There are two main types of pectin: high methoxyl (HM) and low methoxyl (LM). HM uses sugar to react and set, while LM pectin uses calcium instead of sugar to gel, and is good for low sugar or alternative sweetener preserves.

Pectin is flavorless, so it won’t affect the jelly’s flavor and it comes from fruit, so it is vegan. It doesn’t contain any calories, fat, or sodium.

The most important takeaway here is to know what kind of pectin you have, how it reacts, and always use the brand’s recommended recipes as a guide.

For this low-calorie Earl Grey tea jelly, I used Pomona pectin, which allows alternative sweeteners to sugar and uses calcium (always included in the package) to set. As for sweetener, I used classic white Monkfruit, a zero-calorie sweetener that can be used to replace sugar 1:1.

The end result is a low-calorie, sweet and delicious tea jelly. 1 tbsp of the Earl Grey tea jelly contains less than 2 calories, BRAVO!

RELATED: Masala Chai Milk Spread

Earl Grey Tea Jelly

Jelly vs. Jam

Just for clarification purposes, I want to make a distinction of what differentiates a jelly from a jam. Jam is made of any fruit that has been cooked with sugar, and pureed/mashed into a spreadable texture, where jelly is made from juice, not pulp, and it relies on pectin to set. If you want more detail on the differences between jellies, jams, marmalades, etc. Check out this article.

Most preserves are made from fruit, but they can also be made from vegetables, herbs, flowers, and even tea and wine. 

Tea Jelly and Food Pairing

Earl Grey Tea Jelly

Ahhhh one of my favorite things! I love to pair tea and food, and doing it with this jelly is no different. This Earl Grey tea jelly has an intense Earl Grey flavor, but it is also slightly citric because of the addition of lemon juice and pectin.

The basic principles of tea and food pairing are matching or complementing. But keep in mind that it’s a very subjective matter, too. The idea behind complementing is to pair tea and food that have different flavors or textures, and when combined, create a beautiful harmony inside your mouth. A creamy cheese, or chocolate, for example, can make an astringent tea feel less astringent.

Matching flavors or textures when pairing means that you don’t want either the tea or the food to overpower the other in your mouth. You’ll choose a delicate tea to accompany a delicate flavor, like a Bai Mu Dan white tea with a peach galette.

The first pairing I made was with cheese, of course. I tried an aged Manchego with the jelly and it was absolutely wonderful, a perfect combo! I didn’t have any other home, but I would also try it with a softer cheese, like camembert. I’m no cheese expert, but I bet this jelly should go well with several types of cheese that are not too sharp.

More ways to pair and enjoy this jelly would be with scones, over a panna cotta, and with shortbread cookies, to name a few ideas.

RELATED: Tea Shortbread Cookies

Recipe Ingredients and Notes

Earl Grey Tea Jelly

When cooking with tea, always remember to make your concentrate (in this case the jelly base) using more amount of tea, instead of longer steeping times.

The only time I use tea bags is when I cook. It is more practical, and you don’t necessarily need the beeeest quality of tea. I used this exact Earl Grey tea to make this recipe but if you have loose leaf at home you can also use it to make this tea jelly recipe.

To accentuate the bergamot on the Earl Grey, I added 2 drops of food-grade Bergamot oil.

Can I use another pectin brand? No. The pectin brand and type to use for this recipe is very relevant. I tested this recipe with different brands and it didn’t work. Stick to Pomona powdered pectin for this particular recipe.

Can I use another sweetener? Yes. To make this recipe low calorie, I made it with classic white Monkfruit, but you can use ANY alternative sweetener (besides sugar) like stevia, agave, honey, etc. When doing so, make sure you replace for the equivalent 3/4 cups of Monkfruit (for example you’d use only 1/3-1/2 cup of honey).

Will this recipe work with any other tea? Yes. The only thing that you should consider is that this recipe uses lemon, so the final jelly will have a slightly citric flavor. You can use any tea to brew your base and replace Earl Grey. Just follow the instructions and you should have a great tasting tea jelly.

How long does the jelly last? If you go through the proper canning process you should be able to store it in a cool, dry place for up to a year, and once it’s open, store in the fridge and enjoy within 3 weeks. If you don’t go through a canning process, just store it in the fridge and use within 3 weeks.

Recommended Products to Make This Recipe:

Pomona Powdered Pectin

Classic White Monkfruit

Earl Grey Tea Bags

Food-grade Bergamot Oil

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I did, and please tag me on @Instagram if you make it, I’d love to share yours too! Also, sign up for my newsletter to get new recipes, discounts and access to my tea vault!

Earl Grey Tea Jelly
Print Recipe

Low-Calorie Earl Grey Tea Jelly

Delicate and sweet, this almost zero-calorie tea jelly goes perfectly well with sweet and savory
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Total Time20 mins
Course: Breakfast, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: American, French, world
Keyword: earl grey, jelly, preserve
Servings: 2 cups

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups water
  • 4 tea bags Earl Grey (alternatively, 5 tsp of loose leaf)
  • 3/4 cup Monkfruit
  • 2 tsp Pomona's pectin powder
  • 2 tsp Calcium water (calcium powder included in Pomona pectin package)
  • 1/4 cup Lemon juice
  • 2 drops Food-grade bergamot oil (optional)

Instructions

  • Prepare the calcium water by combining ½ teaspoon calcium powder (comes in your box of Pomona’s pectin) with ½ cup water in a small, clear jar with a lid. Shake well. (Extra calcium water should be stored in the refrigerator for future use. Lasts a few months)
  • Brew the Earl Grey tea (tea bags or loose leaf) in the 2 cups of water at 200F for 3-4 minutes. Strain.
  • Add the 2 cups of brewed tea, optional bergamot oil, calcium water, and lemon juice to a saucepan and mix well. On a separate bowl, combine the Monkfruit and pectin.
  • Bring brewed tea mixture to a boil and add the Monkfruit-pectin mixture stirring vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes to dissolve the pectin while the jelly comes back up to a boil. Once the jelly returns to a full boil, immediately remove it from the heat.
  • Fill jars and let cool. Once they come to room temperature, close the lids and store in the fridge for it to set.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

The jelly can be stored in the fridge and should be enjoyed within 3 weeks (if it lasts!).
*CANNING INSTRUCTIONS: Before making the recipe, wash jars, lids, and bands. Place jars in canner, fill canner 2/3 full with water, bring to a boil. Turn off heat, cover, and keep jars in hot canner water until ready to use. Place lids in water in a small saucepan; cover and heat to a low boil. Turn off heat and keep lids in hot water until ready to use.
Once the jelly is ready, fill hot jars to ¼” of top. Wipe rims clean. Screw on 2-piece lids. Put filled jars in boiling water to cover. Boil 10 minutes (add 1 minute more for every 1,000 ft. above sea level). Remove from water. Let jars cool. Check seals; lids should be sucked down. Eat within 1 year. Lasts 3 weeks once opened.

Sharing is Caring!!!  

 Share on Yum
 

Pin it for Later image

Low-Calorie Earl Grey Tea Jelly Low-Calorie Earl Grey Tea Jelly

Low-Calorie Earl Grey Tea Jelly Low-Calorie Earl Grey Tea Jelly Low-Calorie Earl Grey Tea Jelly Low-Calorie Earl Grey Tea Jelly

Tags

  • earl grey
  • jelly
  • tea party

Share and enjoy! (or save for later):

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

Post navigation

Sparkling Matcha Lavender Lemonade Recipe
Pumpkin Chai Latte Energy Balls Recipe

Related posts

2-in-1 Almond Uses: Milk and Tea Time Cake (Gluten-Free)
Lattes, Sweets  /  May 27, 2018
by Tea Cachai

2-in-1 Almond Uses: Milk and Tea Time Cake (Gluten-Free)

15 Best Tea Ice Cream and Popsicle Recipes
Sweets  /  September 3, 2018
by Tea Cachai

15 Best Tea Ice Cream and Popsicle Recipes

Hojicha Overnight Oats with Almond Milk
Sweets  /  October 7, 2019
by Tea Cachai

Hojicha Overnight Oats with Almond Milk

ABOUT ME

Hi, I’m Daniela, a certified T.H.A.C Tea Sommelier, blogger, fashion addict and mom of 2. I created Tea Cachai to share my love for tea, so have some tea with me!

Subscribe to The Newsletter

(And Get Your Free Tea Tasting Guide!)
* indicates required

✨ Use code CACHAISIPS for $5 off your first box! ✨
⬇️

Follow Tea Cachai

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Recent Posts

  • Trending: The Best Tea Advent Calendars of 2022
  • Tea and Food Pairings: Japanese Green Teas
  • Super Easy Homemade Cheese Tea
  • Cheap (or Free!) Tea Samples Online
  • White Chocolate Matcha Salami

Instagram Feed

🙋🏻‍♀️ I often get asked what's the bes 🙋🏻‍♀️ I often get asked what's the best way to sweeten tea, and I guess the right answer is whatever works for each person! ⁣
⁣
Personally, I only add a little Monkfruit when I drink lattes, but I drink unsweetened, unflavored tea most of the time.⁣
⁣
For a special treat 🎁 , I sometimes make naturally flavored simple syrup. I was #gifted this travel electric kettle with temperature control by @buydeem_global and I love that you can use it to infuse too because of the strainer on its lid. ⁣
It has 3 temperature settings and 3 timer options to hold the temp.⁣
⁣
🌹 I made a honey rose simple syrup by boiling water, then steeping the rose petals for 7-10 minutes in the kettle, and combining the steeped rose tea and honey (1 part each). I immediately used it to sweeten my Earl Grey Latte (aka 🇬🇧 London Fog!).⁣
⁣
The kettle is perfect for travel and moving it around, and the 60•C temp is perfect for making Japanese Green Tea (and I love that it holds the temperature so I can use it instead of my thermal bottle). The only downside is that it takes a bit longer to boil water, but the practicality of it is unbeatable!

If you ever do so, what’s your favorite way to sweeten your tea?
✨Advent Calendar season is almost here! (You sti ✨Advent Calendar season is almost here! (You still have time to get yours if you haven’t for this year).⁣
⁣
Even if you don’t celebrate Christmas, it is a great opportunity to try different teas  and explore from several companies who offer them (if you not into the countdown, wait for after season sales!).⁣
⁣
💓 I have my favorites for this year ➡️ (link in bio!). ⁣
⁣
Did you get one? If so, which one did you get or are excited to try?
⚡️*𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐄 𝐒𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐑𝐓*⚡️ (pay $1 for shipping)⁣
⁣
I don’t think I can live without Matcha 🍵(can you?).⁣
⁣
🤔 If someone came to me and asked if I would like to try GREAT quality Matcha for FREE, heck yes I would! ⁣
⁣
For real, if you want to try 3 different and excellent types of Matcha from @naokimatcha for FREE (just pay $0.99 for shipping) go to the link in my bio (𝘯𝘢𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘢.𝘤𝘰𝘮/𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘴𝘦/𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘢-𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘳-𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘬) and order with the code 𝐍𝐀𝐎𝐊𝐗𝐓𝐂𝐂. ⁣
You’ll get 3 sachets of different blends: Superior Ceremonial Blend, Fragrant Yame Blend, and Chiran Harvest (my favorite! So smooth, with a buttery texture, and sweet, nutty, umami flavor)⁣
⁣
Great for drinking on their own, in the morning or for that post-lunch slump (my energy pill 💊 !) or for making a hot or iced latte. ⁣
💡Share with your friends so they can try it too!⁣
⁣
I personally love, drink and recommend @naokimatcha a lot and love collaborating with them because they have really good Matcha 💚 if it’s good, I gotta spread the word!⁣
⁣
Lmk if you’ve tried any of these blends
A new tea book is out and it’s by my friend Nico A new tea book is out and it’s by my friend Nicole from @teaformeplease !! 🎊🎉⁣
⁣
I’m super happy to be one of the first to get this book (you can get yours on Amazon - release day May 17th).⁣
⁣
✔️ It’s full of super fun tea based drink recipes and some baked goods too. You can find iced, hot, lattes, cocktails & mocktails and boba too. It’s a great book for tea lovers who would like to explore more ways to enjoy it and learn how versatile tea is. ⁣
⁣
If you’re building a tea book library 📚 , this one is a must, and a great book to gift to any tea lover 💜.⁣
⁣
🔥 Congratulations again Nicole on this amazing achievement!
Over a month into Spring 🌸 and I can see my te Over a month into Spring 🌸  and I can see my tea preferences starting to change. I’ve been drinking fresher feeling and more cooling teas, such as green, lightly oxidized Oolong, etc. (Here I’m enjoying a lovely Dragonwell green tea).⁣
⁣
Now that I live in FL, so many people ask how can I drink tea with the heat, but when inside I’m always always drinking tea, same as before! Still, cooling teas can be great to regulate body temperature and even reduce the perceived heat 🥵.⁣
⁣
💝 Love serving tea to friends who come by my place for any reason. This lovely kettle + cups set is from @kitchen_kite and I LOVE it. It has a big stainless steel infuser to steep the tea and 4 delicate double-walled glass small cups to serve tea. So elegant! (It is also stovetop safe and dishwasher safe) #gifted ⁣
⁣
What have you been drinking this Spring?
👉🏻Here’s a super interesting one:⁣ Sweet 👉🏻Here’s a super interesting one:⁣
Sweet potato plant leaves tea 😮 . It’s a herbal tea made from sweet potato plants in the Laoshan district in China, and processed similarly to black tea.⁣
It’s the first time I tried it and I was blown away by it. I love trying rare teas and herbal infusions and this was a special one! ⁣
⁣
🔎It is roasted 5, yes FIVE times to stop oxidation, so it’s a very time consuming tea to produce. Farmers in the area are shifting from harvesting crops to making tea because it’s more profitable as demand for this type of tea is increasing 🥔.⁣
⁣
☕️ I brewed it at 200•F and it had a strong sweet potato and savory aroma. I would have expected more sweetness to it but I was surprised with its brightness and how soupy/brothy it tastes. I also found some cooked spinach notes. Overall a fantastic experience ⭐️. ⁣
⁣
I got this tea from @verdanttea (#gifted) which I sincerely can’t recommend enough.⁣
💚They are a truly transparent company, which I know many people appreciate tremendously, and pick their partners (farming families) carefully according to their values (sustainability, quality & craftsmanship, etc). They honor them by highlighting their teas and stories and focus on them and their teas rather than their own brand.⁣ They carry AMAZING tea & teaware!
⁣
Have you ever tried this tea❓
Happy last Matcha Monday 🍵 of the year! Wishing Happy last Matcha Monday 🍵 of the year! Wishing you all a wonderful 2022 filled with joy and health 🙌🏼.⁣
⁣
Matcha is one of my favorite things to help boost my energy⚡️. Besides loving its flavor, color and preparation process and ceremony, the calm alertness and energy that it provides is so appreciated! ⁣
⁣
I love a Matcha latte in the morning and a traditional Matcha cup/bowl after lunch to get over that slump😊.⁣
⁣
Do you take Matcha to boost your energy or just because you like it? 💚
👋Happy Monday!⁣ I wanted to share about one o 👋Happy Monday!⁣
I wanted to share about one of the most luxurious tea gifts I’ve ever received. If you’re looking to really 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 someone and want to splurge, then I absolutely recommend this @samovartea gift box (You, Me and a Cup of Tea).⁣
 ⁣
It comes with a 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 well curated variety of 5 loose leaf teas, including a herbal blend that works amazing as a cold brew and a chocolate Pu-erh that makes a killer latte!⁣
⁣
It also comes with one of my favorite tea brewing accessories, the brewing teapot, a tea scoop and a lovely tea guide with brewing directions.⁣
⁣
Pictured is one of my favorite teas of the box, California Persian: a black tea blend with cardamom, rose blossoms, jasmine and orange zest. It is a beautiful, elegant and well balanced blend that works perfectly well for an afternoon tea setting. It has strong rose 🌹 and some citric notes (I like brewing it at 195 F for 3 minutes).⁣
⁣
Again, I was wowed by the luxurious tea experience of this box #gifted. Everything is so well put together and the packaging is designed with an amazing eye for aesthetics and attention to detail.⁣
⁣
Would you like this as a gift? (Hint: I promise you would! 😜)
🤔 How many of you doubt about buying certain te 🤔 How many of you doubt about buying certain teas online because you’re not sure you’ll like them?⁣
Or how about that guilty feeling of ‘I REALLY (this time really!) shouldn’t buy anymore tea? (Would getting sample sizes make you feel better? 😜)⁣
⁣
💡 I put together a list of companies that offer very reasonably priced (and some even FREE 💸 ) tea samples for you to try before you commit to buying larger quantities (𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐊 𝐈𝐍 𝐁𝐈𝐎).⁣
⁣
This is also great for people who want to get deeper into tea and want to try many different types without having to invest too much.⁣
⁣
✨ I wish I had a resource like this one back in the day when I was starting with my tea romance. Now you have it, enjoy!
Does this Monday feel super slow or is it me? 🙌 Does this Monday feel super slow or is it me?
🙌🏼 I’m recharging my energy this morning with a delicious latte from @favatea ‘s holiday sampler (#gifted). This tea is called Frosty’s Brew and it is a black te with white chocolate and orange… very indulgent! I feel the holiday season calls for exploring blends that I wouldn’t try often and of course, making them into lattes!
This sampler box had several teas that make great lattes, even some Rooibos ones that my kids enjoyed! (After my 6-yo son tried a tea latte he would’t go back to regular tea! 😂)
💡 Remember: for lattes use at least double the amount of tea that you would usually use to make a regular cup. We’re looking to make a concentrate. Always add more leaves, not more time!
✨Matcha tasting time 🍵 This was a fun one! @ ✨Matcha tasting time 🍵 This was a fun one!

@naokimatcha launched a very limited tasting set of 3 Matcha where only 1 will be added to their line. The blends are named after their region of origin: Uji, Wazuka and Nishio. 

It was really hard to pick a favorite because all 3 were delicious, fresh and good quality Matcha (#gifted). But overall my favorite was Uji Harmony: It was delightfully sweet, smooth but thick and creamy with little grassiness and a perfect umami balance. Its color is a bright, vibrant green that only reflect freshness and quality.
The two other blends were excellent as well, I found the Wazuka blend great for beginners because it was less umami, smooth and ‘cleaner’.

Have you tried any of these? (Get their Matcha tasting set with 20% off on their website)
I’ve been obsessed 🤩 about Nepalese Black tea I’ve been obsessed 🤩 about Nepalese Black teas lately, and when this came in the mail I was soooo happy!⠀
⠀
I got a new #teasubscriptionbox to try (#gifted 🎁) and I was very excited about their concept. @atlasteaclub does monthly boxes focused on a single origin and aims to take the customer through a journey around the world 🌍. In my box came a Black tea, Kumari Gold (pictured) and a White tea. You can choose 1 or 2 teas with your subscription plan and each tea pouch contains fresh and good quality leaves 🌱 and a brewing guide. There’s also a beautiful postcard that comes in the box with information about the current month’s origin.⠀
⠀
On to the tea ☕️ ➡️ This Kumari Gold was sweet and smooth with strong cooked fruit notes and some slight woodiness. It is delicate and elegant, like manny Nepalese Black teas.⠀
⠀
If you haven’t tried Nepalese teas, I would recommend you to try its Black tea. (Try 190-195 F for 3.30 min)
Load More...

Favorite Matcha

SHOP

Matchaeologist Misaki Ceremonial Matcha

ARE YOU INTO HERBAL
TEAS TOO?
I’m currently taking an amazing introductory herbalism course at the Herbal Academy to complement my tea education.
⬇️

Begin your Herbal Journey in the Introductory Herbal Course

BREWING TIP:

One of my favorite ways to brew loose leaf tea is with this Simple Brew infuser teapot. It lets the leaves ‘dance’ and unfurl with all the space they need.

DISCLAIMER

PRIVACY POLICY

CONTACT

  • Elara Pro by LyraThemes.com
  • Copyright © 2022 Tea Cachai

Insert/edit link

Enter the destination URL

Or link to existing content

    No search term specified. Showing recent items. Search or use up and down arrow keys to select an item.