Harvest and prep 4 cups of fresh yellow dandelion petals from pesticide-free areas, ensuring you collect only the vibrant blooms. Rinse the petals under cool water and dry.

In a medium-sized pot, combine dandelion petals with 4 cups of water. Bring to a gentle simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve to extract about 3 cups of dandelion infusion.

Grate 2 medium apples (unpeeled) and add to the strained dandelion infusion. Simmer for another 20 minutes, then strain to separate apple solids.

Return the dandelion liquid to the pot and add 3 cups of granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon of unsalted butter if desired. Stir until the sugar dissolves.

Raise the temperature and boil the mixture, stirring constantly for 8 to 12 minutes until it reaches a jelly-like consistency. Perform the gel test.

Skim off foam from the jelly, ladle into sterilized jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Place sterilized lids on and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Let the jars cool undisturbed on a clean towel. Check seals after 24 hours and store in a cool, dark place.