English Rose Jelly

MAKES: 2 pounds

PREP: 9 Min

COOK TIME: 2 Min

Singer Elton John called Diana an English rose, beautiful and sweet. This traditional jelly, enjoyed with teatime scones, promises to be sweet and beautiful in its own way.

What You'll Need

2 1/4 cups water
2 cups packed fresh organically-grown rose petals, thoroughly washed and dried (see Note)
1 3/4 cup sugar
1 package (3 ounces) liquid fruit pectin
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 drops red food color

What to Do

In a large saucepan, combine the water, rose petals, and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in the pectin, then bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and food color.
Quickly spoon into jars and seal, or pour into a decorative mold and cover.
Allow to cool to room temperature then chill until ready to serve.

Notes

Be sure to check with your florist to be sure that your roses are pesticide-free; then wash them well. For 2 cups of rose petals, you'll need about 1 dozen large roses. The more fragrant the roses, the more flavorful the jelly. I like to enjoy roses for a couple of days in a vase, then remove the petals and mash them well under cold running water so I can make this and enjoy the roses even longer!