5 step-by-step recipes for making rose petal jam

Benefits and harms

Rose jam is believed to have come to our region from sunny Turkey. This dessert is often called gülbeşeker, which means "rose petal jam" in Turkish.

Despite the rapid advancement of modern medicine, many today still favor alternative treatments. Rose jam has found its way into folk medicine. This delicacy not only has a unique taste and aroma, but also helps combat various ailments.

The product is recommended for frequent viral and cold illnesses, cardiac and thyroid disorders, painful menstruation, severe premenstrual syndrome, and reproductive system disorders. Rose jam helps cope with nervous tension, insomnia, increased anxiety, apathy, nervousness, and other problems caused by nervous system dysfunction.

According to proponents of traditional healing methods, consuming this delicacy relieves headaches, dizziness, and circulatory problems, and also helps strengthen the immune system and improve metabolism.

However, this product has a number of contraindications. These include individual intolerances, food allergies, hyperviscosity, a family history of hypertension, and diabetes. Gülbeşeker is contraindicated for children under 3 years of age, as it may cause harm to the child's still developing body.

Video: "Medicinal Rose Jam"

This video will show you how to make a healthy dessert rich in various vitamins and minerals.

Peculiarities of raw material preparation

An incorrectly selected variety and a violation of the technology for collecting and preparing the main ingredient can result in the preparation of an inedible and sometimes even unsafe product. Rose jam is made from fresh, high-quality ingredients grown in our own garden. It is not recommended to use roses in cooking if their origin is unknown. For example, the use of pesticides in floriculture promotes abundant flower growth and development, but such plants should not be used in cooking.

A petal plucked early in the morning contains the highest concentration of essential oils, which influences the aroma of the finished product. It's important to pick young, unopened buds from the bush, not just the petals. Roses can be stored in the refrigerator, but remember that they lose their aroma and beneficial properties over time. Tea rose buds are most often used in cooking. Before preparing desserts, flowers are dipped in ice water.

Recipes

Many people mistakenly assume that making rose jam conceals many secrets and culinary intricacies. But preparing this amazingly aromatic and incredibly delicious dessert doesn't require much time or incredible effort. We offer several simple recipes for making gülbeşeker.

With lemon

Rose jam, with its subtle citrus aroma, will delight any sweet tooth. This dessert is indispensable in winter, when the immune system requires special support. Rich in various minerals and vitamins, including vitamin C, it is consumed daily.

To prepare lemon-rose jam you will need:

• freshly picked rose petals – 50–60 g;
• purified drinking water – 1.5 glasses;
• freshly squeezed lemon juice – 3 tbsp;
• granulated sugar – 2 cups;
• pectin – 1 tsp.

To make a delicious and aromatic jam with light citrus notes, we recommend following these steps:

1. Sort through the buds, discarding any damaged by insects or weather. Wash the petals thoroughly.
2. Pour filtered water into an enamel cooking container and add rose petals.
   Place the saucepan on the stove and bring its contents to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Add the sugar. At this stage, you won't need to use all the granulated sugar; about a third should remain.
3. Stir the mixture with a wooden spatula until the sweet crystals dissolve in the liquid. Add freshly squeezed lemon juice. Simmer the mixture for 15–20 minutes.
4. Mix the remaining sugar with the pectin and add it to the jam. Add it slowly, stirring with a wooden spatula as the mixture simmers on the stove. Otherwise, the pectin may clump.
5. Simmer the dessert for another 15–20 minutes, remove from heat, and let cool. Store in the refrigerator, sealing the jars with nylon lids.

With rose hips

Gülbeşeker, according to the classic recipe, is made from rose petals and rose hips. This dessert can be enjoyed on its own, added to tea and other hot and cold drinks, or used in baked goods.

So, let's look at how to make rose jam the classic way:

1. Prepare 0.4 kg of tea rose petals and 0.3 kg of rose hips. Sort, wash, and lightly dry the flowers. Add sugar (no more than 250 g). Place the bowl in the shade.
2. After 50–60 minutes, add a pinch of citric acid. Let the mixture steep for 4–5 hours.
3. In a separate container, mix 1 kg of sugar and 200–250 ml of filtered water. Boil the syrup.
4. Pour the flowers into the prepared syrup. Simmer for 15–20 minutes over low heat. When the flowers settle to the bottom, the dessert is ready.

With honey and nuts

Honey and nuts can add variety to the classic gülbeşeker. Walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, and cashews can be added.

Making rose jam with honey and nuts doesn't take much time:

1. Prepare the rose petals. Peel and chop the nuts.
2. Pour boiling water over the flowers and simmer for 10–15 minutes. Cool the mixture.
3. Place the saucepan over low heat and add honey to taste. Add the chopped nuts and simmer for a few more minutes.
4. Place the jam into jars and close with metal lids.

Without cooking

When heat-treated, any food product loses some of its beneficial properties. Therefore, raw rose petal jam is highly sought after in folk medicine.

To prepare this beneficial and medicinal product, you'll need 0.8 kg of sugar and 0.4 kg of rosebuds. Clean the petals of dust, debris, caterpillars, and small insects and grind them with sugar using a sieve and a wooden spoon. To speed up the process, you can use a meat grinder or blender. Store the prepared product in a tightly sealed glass container.

In a multicooker

To make citrus-rose jam in a slow cooker you will need:

• garden rose petals – 220 g;
• powdered sugar – 460 g;
• large tangerines – 2 pcs.;
• Purified drinking water – 1 glass.

Now let's look at a step-by-step recipe for making gulbesheker in a slow cooker:

1. Prepare all the ingredients: sort, wash and dry the flowers, peel, thinly peel and seed the tangerines.
2. Mix the main ingredients. Blend the mixture or put it through a meat grinder.
3. Pour the mixture into the multicooker bowl. Set to "Stewing" mode for 25 minutes.
4. A few minutes before the end of the running program, add powdered sugar and mix the contents of the bowl thoroughly.
5. Turn on the “Stewing” mode again, setting the timer to 30 minutes.
6. Place the hot mixture into jars and seal with airtight lids.

You can add variety to the flavor of classic rose petal jam by adding various herbs, spices, lemon or orange juice, honey, or nuts. Cloves, mint, or star anise can also enhance or modify the aroma.

Due to the high concentration of essential oils and rich vitamin and mineral content, rose petal jam should not be consumed in large quantities. Excess vitamins and minerals in the body can negatively impact a person's health and well-being. To feel energized, add a couple of spoons of gülbeşeker to your tea daily.