Just in time for Mother’s Day —- whip up a batch of this easy-peasy homemade rose petal jam to tell her how much she means!
Roses are not only beautiful, but they are healthy too. You have likely heard that rosehips are edible, since you can purchase rosehips vitamin C, and rosehips tea. However, the petals of the rose — all roses — are also edible. The flavor of course will depend upon the rose variety. Those wonderful heirloom roses with the romantic fragrance will impart more of that essence to the flavor of the jam.
But no matter what variety of rose you use, this jam is delicate and luscious, perfect for topping ice cream or some toast.
If you have made jam before, you will find this recipe very easy. If you have not, this is an easy one to start with. You can also choose whether you want to refrigerate or to can after the jam has set.
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh organic rose petals, no pesticides. Your best bet is to use your own home grown roses that you know have not had any sprays or pesticides.
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups filtered or distilled water
- 3 T fresh squeezed lemon juice
Instructions for Making Rose Petal Jam
Gently rinse the rose petals in a colander and make sure there are no stowaways hiding in between the petals.
Simmer the rose petals with the water for ten minutes. You will see the color start to fade from the petals, but don‘t worry, it is still there in the water, and will come back like magic before the rose petal jam is ready.
After ten minutes simmering, add the sugar to the mixture and allow it to dissolve, about 5 more minutes on low heat.
Then add the lemon juice – now you should see the color coming back! Simmer the mixture with the lemon juice another ten minutes.
Finally, add the pectin and allow it to simmer on low heat for another 15 minutes or so. Do not allow the sugar to caramelize or else your jam will have a slightly brown tint. It looks so much better with that bright, rosy color!
Your mixture will start to look like this:
This jam will be on the loose side – they are rose petals, after all! But it is perfect for drizzling on pancakes, ice cream, or spreading on toast.
If you choose to can your rose petal jam for longer shelf-life, be sure to follow all proper water bath canning techniques. Boil in the canner for ten minutes.
