WILD ROSE PETAL JAM
MAKES 3 JARS (180G EACH) OF JAM GLUTEN-FREE VEGAN
What could be more romantic or wildly wonderful and dreamy than wild rose petal jam? It’s also deeply delicious, with its rosy hues and fragrant scent, wonderful for drizzling over good-quality vanilla ice cream, roasted fruits such as figs or peaches, or fresh scones and cultured cream (crème fraîche).
My mum used to make this using her home-grown heritage roses, which were a light mauve colour and deeply fragrant, and the little jars of rose petal jam that sat on our kitchen shelves seemed so exotic and whimsical to me as a child. I recommend making it when the scented wild roses are in season, and of course make sure they are spray-free. Store-bought roses will not do the trick, as they are sprayed heavily and generally have no scent.
INGREDIENTS
2 cups quite tightly packed fragrant rose petals 1½ cups water
3 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cups jam sugar
1-2 tsp rosewater (optional; use if your rose petals aren’t very fragrant)
YOU WILL NEED
Jam thermometer
Jam jars (see notes below)
1 Wash the rose petals and gently shake off excess water. Place the petals and water in a medium-sized saucepan over a high heat. Bring up to a gentle simmer, turn the heat down to medium, and simmer gently for 2 minutes.
2 Add the lemon juice – this should bring the colour of the petals back to a vibrant hue. Add the jam sugar (and rosewater, if using) and stir until dissolved. Bring to a rolling boil and boil until the mixture reaches 105°C on the jam thermometer. This should take about 10 minutes, depending on how hard or softly you boil it.
3 When the jam has reached 105°C, remove from the heat and pour into hot, sterilised jam jars. Cover while still hot, using a clean tea towel to tighten the lids. Allow to cool completely before using. Sealed jars of jam keep well in the pantry for a few months; once opened, they will keep for a few weeks in the fridge.