We are all familiar with the ordinary fruit jams that can be found on the shelves of every supermarket. While apricot, strawberry and fig are perfectly delicious flavours, rose petal jam is unique in terms of aroma and flavour. Just a teaspoon into your pancakes and you’re in for a delicious treat! It may seem strange when you think you are eating your own fresh roses from your florist and we tend to send flowers or display them instead of using them in our food. Imagine opening a jar of home-made rose petal jam and absorbing that aroma. It’s like getting a delivery of fresh flowers! Try this recipe and, once you get used to it, you’ll be ready to make different jars to give as a gift to friends and relatives!

You will need:

  • ½lb of rose petals (white, pink or red)

  • 4 ½ cup of water

  • 2 cups of sugar

  • Juice of 2 lemons

Method:

  • Start by trimming the white parts off the base of each petal.

  • Discard any bruised or damaged petals.

  • Wash all of the petals thoroughly yet gently.

  • You can allow the petals to soak in water for a couple of days if you have the time.

  • Combine the petals and sugar in a bowl. You should only add enough sugar to lightly coat each petal. Set the rest of the sugar aside for later.

  • Gently rub the sugar into the petals.

  • Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for the night.

  • In a pot, mix the rest of the sugar with the water and lemon juice.

  • Warm over a low heat until the sugar dissolves.

  • Add the sugar-coated petals to the liquid mixture and simmer for 20 minutes.

  • Bring this rose petal mixture to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes or until you see it start to thicken.

  • Pour your jam into sterilized jars, seal the jars and store somewhere cool.

Great tips:

  • Not all roses are suitable for making rose petal jam. Old English roses, floribundas and rugosas are some of the best options.

  • Remember to choose the colour wisely. You should include at least a few red or pink blooms to ensure the result is colourful.

  • Lemon seeds in the mixture will help the jam thicken as it cooks. You will need to remove them once your jam is ready.

If you have fragrant roses in your garden, this is a wonderfully inexpensive rose petal jam recipe. If not, you’ll need to find reasonably priced roses at your local florist or perhaps ask a neighbour if he or she doesn’t mind sharing them. Keep in mind that in-season flowers are cheaper than out-of-season flowers. Avoid buying roses for jam on popular holidays like Valentine’s Day as their price will rise, making this jam a rather expensive venture rather than a profitable recipe.