Roses in the Kitchen

[sister herb]

Rose hips are occasionally made into jam, jelly, and marmalade, or are brewed for tea, primarily for their high vitamin C content. They are also pressed and filtered to make rose hip syrup. Rose hips are also used to produce Rose hip seed oil, which is used in skin products and some makeup products.



Rosa canina hips

Rose petals or flower buds are sometimes used to flavour ordinary tea, or combined with other herbs to make herbal teas.

In France there is much use of rose syrup, most commonly made from an extract of rose petals. In the United States, this French rose syrup is used to make rose scones and marshmallows.

Rose flowers are used as food, also usually as flavouring or to add their scent to food. Other minor uses include candied rose petals.

Rose creams (rose flavoured fondant covered in chocolate, often topped with a crystallised rose petal) are a traditional English confectionery widely available from numerous producers in the UK.

Rose hips are what rose flowers grow up to be: they are the fruit of the same plants in the Rosa genus that grace parks, gardens, and front yards with beautiful flowers throughout the summer. And as well as being tasty, they bring a hefty dose of vitamin C to the table.

Rose hips contain a whopping 2000 mg of vitamin C per 100 grams of fruit. That vitamin content goes down some if you expose the rose hips to heat while you are making jam or tea, but enough remains to boost your C intake.

If you do find an especially fragrant rose, make rose petal honey. Simply mince some of the fresh petals and stir them into some local honey, using about 2 parts honey to 1 part minced rose petals. The honey will preserve the rose aroma. This confection is popular in Greece where it is used like jam.

Note: Do not use roses from a florist because they have almost certainly been sprayed with chemicals (and anyway, most commercially grown roses aren't very aromatic).

Rose leaves can be used to make tea. Avoid those that have black spot, a fungal disease very common on roses. Choose healthy-looking, green leaves and brew them fresh or dried just as you would ordinary tea. Rose leaf tea doesn’t have a lot of flavor on its own, but it is high in tannins, which gives the tea a similar mouth feel to black tea. You can combine rose leaves with something more flavorful, such as mint or lemon balm.

 

[sister herb]

Rose Petal Sorbet

2 cups red or pink rose petals
2-1/4 cups sugar, divided
4 cups water
6 medium oranges
6 to 14 drops red food coloring, optional

With kitchen scissors, cut off the white portion at the stem end of each rose petal. With a mortar and pestle or in a food processor, mash or process into a paste, gradually adding 1/4 cup sugar.

In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil. Stir in remaining sugar until dissolved. Stir in the rose paste. Boil, without stirring, for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat; cool for at least 1 hour.

Strain, reserving rose syrup. Discard rose pulp. Squeeze the juice from the oranges and strain; discard pulp and seeds. Add 2-2/3 cups orange juice and food coloring if desired to the rose syrup. Transfer to a freezer container; cover and freeze for at least 8 hours or until firm.

Yield: 10 servings.

Note: Verify that flowers are edible and have not been treated with chemicals.

Source: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/rose-petal-sorbet

 

[sister herb]

Sugared Rose Petal Cake

Serves: 15-20
Preparation time: 1 hour plus overnight drying time
Cooking time: 30 minutes

You will need

For the petals:
Petals from 1–2 edible pink or red roses
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
125g caster sugar

For the vanilla sponge cakes:
200g salted butter
200g caster sugar
4 large eggs
200g self-raising flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 tsp cocoa powder

For the vanilla buttercream:
125g icing sugar
125g salted butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract

Extras:
Small paintbrush
Tray lined with baking paper
15cm round cake drum

Method
1. Carefully separate the petals from the rose(s), taking care not to bruise them as you do so. Using the paintbrush, gently brush the petals to remove any debris. Discard any petals that are damaged or discoloured. Transfer the petals to the prepared tray.
2. Lightly brush the egg white over both sides of each petal with the paintbrush, making sure they are completely coated – if sections of the petals remain uncoated, the sugar will not stick and you will be left with an uneven finish.
3. Pour the sugar into a bowl. Holding one of the petals over the bowl, gently sprinkle a little sugar over the petal with a teaspoon, making sure it is completely coated. Shake off any excess sugar and place the petal back on the prepared tray. Repeat until all the petals are coated. Leave the petals to dry overnight, uncovered, at room temperature.
4. To make the vanilla sponge cakes preheat the oven to 180 C/gas mark 4 and line two 15 centimetre round cake tines with baking paper. Allow the butter to soften slightly. Put the sugar and softened butter in a mixing bowl and beat with the electric mixer for about three minutes until light and fluffy. Lightly beat the eggs and gradually add to the mixture. If the mixture starts to curdle, add a little bit of the flour. Sift the flour into the bowl and beat until just combined.
5. Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake tins, levelling the surface with the back of a spoon. Bake for 30 minutes or until the top springs back slightly when gently pressed with a finger and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. As oven temperatures can vary, check on the cakes about five minutes before the end of the recommended baking time.
6. Remove the cakes from the oven and leave to cook for five minutes, then remove from the tin, transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
7. While the cakes are cooling make the vanilla buttercream. Sift the icing sugar into a mixing bowl. Add the butter and vanilla extract and beat with an electric mixer for five minutes until pale, light and fluffy.
8. Using the cake drum as a firm base, layer the cakes, then fill with buttercream to make one tall cake. Cover the cake with the remaining buttercream, first on the sides and then on the top.
9. When the buttercream has set and the petals have dried and become hard, carefully transfer the covered cake to a cake stand or serving plate and scatter the petals over the top.

TIP
The crystallized rose petals can be stored in an airtight container lined with baking parchment for up to one week. Do not store in the fridge or they will become soggy.

Source: http://www.redonline.co.uk/food/recipes/rose-petal-cake

 

[sister herb]

Rose Petal Syrup

2 cups water (distilled or fresh spring water is best)
4 cups fresh edible rose petals
2 cups white sugar
2 -3 drops food coloring (optional)

Heat the water to a boil, add the sugar and turn off the heat.

Add the rose petals, cover, turn heat to low, and let simmer for one hour until thick and syrupy. Stir in food coloring of choice.

Strain through a filter and pour into clean (preferably sterilized) bottles, cap them and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks. May be frozen.

Note: The darker the petals, the darker the syrup. Adding orange or yellow petals can make it brownish so a few drops of food coloring can come in handy if you think you need it.

Try it with orange blossoms, lavender, lemon balm, red clover or rosemary (no stems). Serve in teas or lemonade. Great drizzled over pancakes, pound cake, fruit or ice cream! Thicken with confectioner's sugar for a cookie or cake glaze. A great base for rose jelly, and makes wonderful gifts!

P.S. You can make a simple undistilled version of orange blossom water or rose water by omitting the sugar in this recipe.

Source: http://www.food.com/recipe/cottage-garden-rose-petal-syrup-sweetened-rose-water-373621

 

[sister herb]

Homemade Rose Water

3 cups fresh rose petals
(make sure there are NO pesticides used on rosebushes)
1 liter mineral water

Directions:

1 Put 3 large handfuls of petals into the clean pot.

2 Pour the water over the rose petals.

3 Cover the pot.

4 Place it over low heat and let it simmer until half the water is left.

5 Let it cool.

6 Discard the petals and pour the liquid (rosewater) into the sterile bottle.

7 Cap tightly and store in fridge.

Source: http://www.food.com/recipe/rose-water-homemade-substitute-24431

 

[sister herb]

Rose Hip Jam

Makes: 950 ml

• 200g trimmed and seeded rose hips
• 175ml water
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 400g caster sugar
• 50g powdered fruit pectin
• 175ml water

Prepare the rose hip by cutting off the flower and stem ends. Cut the hip in half and remove the seeds.

1. Put the prepared rose hips, water and lemon juice in a liquidiser; blend until smooth, about 15 seconds. Small bits of rose hips skin are okay. Gradually add the sugar while blender is running. Blend until sugar is dissolved, about 30 seconds or so.
2. Stir the pectin into 175ml water in a saucepan. Bring to the boil; boil hard for about 1 minute. Slowly pour into the rose hip mixture; blend for about 30 seconds.
3. Pour into small containers with lids. Store in the refrigerator. Jam that is not used within a few weeks can be stored in the freezer for up to a year.

Source: http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/9734/quick-rose-hip-jam.aspx

 

[sister herb]

Rose-Hibiscus Petite Fours

1 rose hibiscus tea bag (or rose hip tea)
2 tsp. boiling water
2 tsp sugar+ 1/2 Cup Sugar
1 tsp. rose water
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
3 Lg. eggs
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 Cup cake flour measured, then sifted
Sugar glaze (recipe below)*

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F/190 C. Coat pan with nonstick spray. Melt butter and set aside to cool.
2. Empty tea bag into a small saucer. {If tea particles are large mince with a knife until fine}. Mix the tea with the boiling water, 2 tsp. sugar and rose water. Let sit while you prepare the rest of the batter.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the eggs, 1/2 cup sugar and salt on medium speed until the mixture is thick and pale in color; about 8 minutes. Add the tea mixture and stir to combine. Fold the flour by hand with a large rubber spatula a little at a time until all combined. Remove about a cup of the batter and mix with the melted butter; fold this back into the main batter gently until all combined. Add some a few drops of red food coloring if you like [totally optional].
4. Spoon the mixture into the pan until the batter is just below the rim. While the cakes bake prepare the sugar glaze: Combine 1 1/2 Cups confectioners sugar, 1/4 cup milk until smooth; add a couple drops optional red food coloring.
Bake cakes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 11-12 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pan and while they are still warm spoon the glaze over the cakes. Let cool and serve.

Source: http://suziesweettooth.com/2012/01/08/rose-hibiscus-tea-cakes-petite-fours/


* waiting friends to the rose tea party...

 

[sister herb]

Drying rose hips and some recipes

Methods

• Remove stalks and blossom ends.
• Rinse in cold water, pat dry and cut the bulbs in halves.

While doing this you can give a thought (with a smile) to those mischievous schoolboys back then who used hairy seeds from rose hips as itching powder, and tried to drop them down between shirt and back. So, to avoid too much itching – use a pair of thin plastic gloves while handling the rose hips.

• Spread the rose hips on a baking tray and allow to dry in the oven at gentle 50 C until the shells are dry and hard. Shake the tray and stir now and then, and it’s a good idea to keep the oven door slightly ajar.

• Let the rose hips cool and make sure that they are thoroughly dry before placing them in a glass jar and store in a dark place until it’s time to use them.

​

If you have the time and energy you can poke the seeds out, but you can leave them as they contain beneficial essential fatty acids.


Rose hip purée

As mentioned above, if you don’t want to bother with the drying procedure you can just as well make a purée from fresh rose hips and store in the freezer.

Methods

• Remove stalks and blossom ends, rinse and boil in plenty of water for about 20 minutes.
• Drain and save some of the cooking water.
• Press the hips through a strainer or sieve with a wooden spoon or spatula and dilute the paste with a some cooking water to a purée-like consistency and freeze in 400 ml containers.

1. Soup made of rose hip purée

4 servings

• 400 ml rose hip purée
• 1200 ml water
• 3 tablespoons potato starch + 100 ml water
• sugar to taste (50 – 150 ml)

Methods

• Mix purée and water and boil vigorously for a few minutes.
• Skim off the scum.
• Dissolve potato starch in cold water and add the liquid to the soup in a fine stream, stirring constantly.
• Allow the soup to get a quick boil (just enough for the first bubble to burst), then remove soup from the stove.
• Add sugar to your own taste.

2. Traditional rose hip soup made from dried rose hips

4 servings

• 500 ml dried rose hips
• 1500 ml cold water
• 2 tbsp potato starch
• 50 – 150 ml sugar

Methods

• Boil rose hips and water.

• When the hips are properly soft, drain and save the cooking water.
• Press rose hips through a sieve.

• Dilute the purée with cooking water until it measures 1250 ml.
• Boil the soup.
• Dissolve potato starch in a little cold water and add the liquid in a fine stream, stirring constantly.
• Add sugar according to your own taste and bring the soup to a quick boil.

3. Rose hip soup with a vanilla and honey twist

5-6 servings

• 500 ml dried rose hips
• 1500 ml water
• half a vanilla pod
• 3 tbsp liquid honey.

Methods

• Let rose hips soak i the water for 4 hours.
• Add the vanilla pod and mix everything in the food processor or with a hand blender.
• Add the honey and boil for a few minutes.
• Strain and serve.

A rose hip soup is often served warm with ice cream or lukewarm or cold with whipped cream or cardamom yoghurt and with mini macaroons or almond flakes on top.

Cardamom yoghurt
Mix 150 ml Turkish yoghurt, 1 tsp ground cardamom and 2 tbsp brown sugar.



Source: http://meggieana.wordpress.com/2013/10/19/the-noble-art-of-making-a-classic-swedish-rose-hip-soup/

 

[sister herb]

Fresh Rose Hip Tea

There are a few ways to make rose hip tea. You can steep the rose hips in a teapot of boiling water for about 20-30 minutes, but you can also simmer them on the stove in water for the same amount of time until they break up and form a pulp. Either way works, just strain the pulp before drinking the tea. And of course, you can eat the pulp, as well!

(makes 2 cups)

10-12 fresh rose hips, seeds removed
2 cups boiling water

1. Put the rose hips in a teapot. Pour boiling water over them, cover, and let steep for your desired amount of time.

2. Strain through a fine mesh strainer or push the plunger of the French press. I pressed on the rose hips to release more of their goodness. Sweeten the tea with honey, if desired. And eat the rose hips, if you'd like an extra boost of Vitamin C!

Source: http://www.nourishtheroots.com/2013/09/rose-hip-tea.html

 

[sister herb]

Hmmm... when I was looking for recipe for Sweetened Crystallized Rose petals, it jumped to my own post in this forum:

http://turntoislam.com/community/th...ng-and-decorating-cakes-and-pies.93519/page-2 (post 29)

 

[sister herb]

Rose Petal Sugar

• Pesticide free rose petals

• White granulated sugar

• Water

• 1- 2 drops red food coloring

• Mason jar, pint or quart capacity

Gather a bowl of pesticide-free rose petals, the more heavily scented the better. It is especially important that the roses have no pesticides or any chemical treatment or it will be imparted into the sugar. You may want to remove the small white part of the petal, as it can be bitter.

Pour a 1-inch layer of sugar into the jar, layer the petals on top of the sugar, cover with more sugar. Repeat the alternating layers until the jar is filled to about 1 inch from the top. Layers of sugar can be about 1 to 2 inches with petals placed on top.

Fill to about 1 inch from the top of the jar, and make sure top is securely fastened. It must be airtight or there is the risk of mold developing from the moisture of the petals.

Leave for at least 1 week for the rose petal flavor to be infused into the sugar, and shake it around every couple of days to distribute the flavor. The longer it stays in contact with the sugar, the more flavorful the sugar will be (though it is a very subtle flavor). Keep out of direct light.

After about 2-3 weeks, strain the sugar through a colander or mesh strainer to remove the petals.

In a small bowl, add 2 teaspoons of water with 1 drop of red food coloring to the sugar. It should feel like wet sand.

If too wet, add more sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. If too dry, add a few drops of water at a time until it’s the right consistency.

To color and mold into shapes, pack it firmly into a mold (small 1/2" ice cube mold, hearts, stars, domes, etc.), then turn over onto wax paper covered wire rack. Tap each cell and gently lift mold to uncover the damp formed sugar.

Allow to harden overnight.

You can also mold the damp sugar into a block and hand cut, or use cookie cutters, to form cubes or shapes.

Source: http://www.hgtvgardens.com/recipes/sugar-rush-rose-scented-sweets

 

[sister herb]

Rose Petal Peppermint Drops

• fresh roses
• one lemon, sliced thinly
• boiling water
• 1 1/2 cups of sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract (you can also use other flavors such as lemon)

First, prepare your infusion. Layer thin slices of lemon and fresh rose petals in a jar or heat proof measuring cup until you reach near the top.

Pour boiling water over the layers and immediately top with a saucer to keep in all of the rosy/lemon vapors. Let this steep for about 30 minutes then strain. Depending on the color of petals used, it will have turned a lovely pinkish color as shown below:

Measure out 1 cup of rose-lemon water and put in a large deep pot (you will need the extra room to keep the candy from boiling over.) Add the 1 1/2 cups of sugar and stir until dissolved. Boil this mixture over medium to medium-high heat, without stirring, until it reaches 300-310 degrees Fahrenheit/149 - 154 C. Periodically wipe down the insides with a pastry brush and water or a dampened rag to prevent crystallization from occurring.

Here is where the book & I differ. They say to let it cool until 110 degrees F/43 C then stir in the peppermint extract and pour 1/4 teaspoon sized drops onto a well buttered board or cookie sheet.

It is easier to make these in powdered sugar molds. Fill a large cookie sheet or cake pan with powdered sugar. Using something small, like your peppermint extract top, make tiny indentations in the sugar.

After removing from the heat, stir in your peppermint extract then pour teaspoonfuls of the hot mixture into the powder sugar forms and allow to harden.

You can either gently wipe off the powdered sugar (tedious, but pretty!) or you can flip the candies over so that the entire drop is coated. If your climate is warm, I keep these single layered between pieces of wax paper in the refrigerator, or freezer for longer term storage.

You can vary the type of extract depending on the flavor you desire. You can also substitute your favorite herbal tea or a different infusion, such as ginger root, instead of rose petals. You don’t have to use lemon slices, you could use oranges or omit them completely. It’s a very flexible recipe, so don’t feel locked into just one flavor!

Source: http://thenerdyfarmwife.com/rose-petal-peppermint-drops/

 

[Cariad]

This is one of my most used spices.. It has rose petals in it. Many people use it as a rub for meat.. Also adds good flavour to vegetable tagines.

Ras el-hanout

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Ingredients

• 2 cinnamon sticks, broken into several pieces
  
  
• 1 tbsp cloves
  
  
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
  
  
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds
  
  
• 1 tbsp fenugreek
  
  
• 1 tbsp fennel seeds
  
  
• 1 tbsp mustard seeds
  
  
• 25g/1¾oz dried Damascan rose petals (available at spice shops and Middle Eastern food stores)
  

Preparation method

1. Place all the ingredients in a metal frying pan and place over gentle heat. Cook until the seeds begin to pop in the pan. Toss as they start to pop and cook for a couple more minutes, taking care not to let them burn.
   
   
2. Remove from pan and grind the mixture in a coffee grinder, mini food processor or pestle and mortar while still warm.
   
   
3. Store in an airtight container for one to two weeks.