Rose Jelly
Mia and Roses
I admit that picking petals off wild roses isn’t the most masculine activity you could indulge in, but bear with me. The smell and taste of this jelly is pure turkish delight, and the recipe requires nothing more than roses, water and sugar.
Wild roses grow absolutely everywhere in the English countryside, in hedgerows and park edges alongside the equally abundant hawthorn. It’s the flowers that turn into rosehips (also delicious) by the autumn, so make sure only to pick the petals and not the whole flower heads.
Recipe: Rose Jelly Recipe
Summary: This rose jelly is so easy and is a great introduction to foraging. The rose flavour is pure “Turkish Delight”!
Ingredients
- 500ml Water
- 500ml Rose Petals (that’s about 2 coat pockets full!)
- 700g Jam Sugar
- Juice of 1 Lemon
Method
- Start by placing your rose petals into a heat proof (i.e. pyrex) bowl or jug, then pour over boiling water. Cover, and leave overnight.
- The next day pass the liquid through a sieve into a pan. Add the sugar and lemon juice, then stir to combine.
- Turn the heat on low and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Once this happens turn the heat right up to a rolling boil (i.e. bubbling away like crazy) and leave for 4 minutes.
- Pour into sterilised jars – it’ll keep for the best part of a year. Enjoy as any other fruit jelly.
Quick notes
Boiling sugar is *hot*. It’ll burn your skin badly, so keep children away while doing this.
This recipe makes 4 jars, and is based on the one found in the River Cottage Handbook No.7.
Preparation time: 10 minute(s)
Cooking time: 5 minute(s)
Number of servings (yield): 4