Rose Petal Jelly

Will definitely try. My husband searched and found two lovely plants for me this weekend. I'm also wondering if nicotiana blooms are edible. We have a beautiful stand of them. Everyone who walks by our house stops to smells them.

I made my version yesterday and really am quite pleased with the result. I blogged about it here: http://www.eatingmywords-jwl.blogspot.com/2012/04/first-bloom-of-spring-canning.html
Thanks again for all the advice!

Oh Helen, that sounds wonderful! Would you be so kind as to share the recipe?

I made a beautiful rose petal rhubarb preserve last year. You stir the petals in right at the end. Beautiful!

ooh, that straw-rose-geranium jam sounds wonderful! i too am a fool for curd. :)

em-i-lis -- I think you pushed all the right buttons! I am a fool for fresh-made lemon curd and also have have success making it with satsuma oranges. I am faithful to the recipe posted by Rose Levy Berenbaum: http://www.realbakingwithrose.com/2008/01/as_orange_as_it_gets.html
Last night I chekd by Blue Chair book and found a recipe for strawberry-rose geranium jam that sounded fabulous. It used the fragrant blooms and not the peppery leaves. We don't currently have one, but my husband is an avid gardener and surely can find a place in the yard.
Many thanks to everyone who has been so generous to reply. I love this sense of community and am encouraged by your endorsements. I love canning new things every year, so this is definitely be on my list.

Hi, I made a beautiful rose petal jelly recently with roses, currants and lemon. It is wonderful. Here's the link if you're interested: http://em-i-lis.com/wordpress/recipes-new-format/jams-chutneys-and-other-canned-treats/em-i-lis-love-letter-jelly/
or, via food52, http://www.food52.com/recipes/16258_love_letter_jam
It's really good with lemon curd and fresh scones.

Try the rose petal jelly on its own at least once. Its flavor is remarkable--it actually tastes like roses smell! The other flower that is fantastic for a jelly is elder flowers. That jelly is so good that it is worth making an effort to find the flowers. You can also use them for a syrup to flavor prosecco.

Rose hip jam is good--and full of vitamin C, but it takes a lot of work. And you need large hips (:-) to make it.

Rose hip jam is also quite lovely; not too sweet and a bit sour, it's quite popular in Denmark. I haven't a clue how to make it, but if you have access to rose hip, it might be fun to try!

I made lavender-infused muscadine jelly last year that was a big hit. I'm wondering if a rose petal infusion might be a nice base for strawberry jelly. I'll have to do some research for ratios, but that sounds quite appealing to me.
Thanks again for your kind suggestions!

If you have a store that specializes in European foods, I would look there for Gelierzucker. I haven't used pectin as produced in the US--I've always used the Gelierzucker--but I suppose you could look at a recipe for mint jelly and see how much pectin is used. there. But come to think of it, mint jelly is made is with apple juice, isn't it? Apple juice is high in pectin so that may not be a great example. Perhaps it would be better look at some other jelly recipe like grape jelly. You might need to play around with it. You also asked about other flowers you could use. If you have fragrant violets, they would be lovely. Lavender might be interesting. Google 'edible flowers' for other ideas.

How kind of you! If I can't find the Gelierzucker, what should I substitute?

Rose petal jelly is an old German recipe too. Here's a recipe--translation below. I've seen even simpler versions, but this sounds good:

Rosengelee
- 15 Rosenblüten
- ¼ l Rotwein
- 3/4 l Wasser
- Saft von 4 Zitronen
- 2 kleine Stückchen Ingwer
- 1 kg Gelierzucker

Die Blätter der Rosenblüten lösen, kurz und vorsichtig in kaltem Wasser waschen. Danach abtropfen lassen und in eine große verschließbare Schüssel geben. Rotwein, Wasser, Zitronensaft und den Ingwer dazugeben, zudecken und über Nacht ziehen lassen. Danach die Masse bis zum Siedepunkt erhitzen und abseihen. Die Flüssigkeit mit Gelierzucker verrühren, zum Kochen bringen und unter Rühren vier Minuten sprudelnd kochen. Heiß in Gläser füllen, sofort verschließen.

Rosen Gelee

15 Roses (be sure no insecticide/fungicide has been used on them!!)
¼ liter red wine (about 1 cup)
¾ liter water
juice of four lemons
two small pieces of ginger
1 kilogram “Gelierzucker”*

*Gelierzucker is sold in German stores. It is sugar with powdered pectin already added. It comes in slightly different formulations for use with various fruits. If you find the Gelierzucker, you would want the one with the highest amount of pectin


Directions: Remove the petals of the rose blossoms and carefully wash them in cold water. Let them drip and then place in a large bowl with a lid. Add red wine, water, lemon juice and ginger. Cover and let stand overnight. Heat to boiling and use a strainer to remove the petals and ginger. Stir the remaining liquid with the Gelierzucker, bring the mixture to a boil, and simmer briskly for four minutes. Pour the hot liquid into glasses and close immediately.

Thank you! I don't have any of her books but know she is highly regarded.

Check Claudia Roden's Book of Middle Eastern Food or her "New Book of ...." I'm pretty sure she includes a recipe. Btw, it's a wonderful book - makes for excellent reading, and I've found her recipes to be very reliable.