Rozovo Sladko (Bulgarian Rose Petal Jam)
A delicate, fragrant preserve made from fresh Rosa damascena petals from Bulgaria's famous Rose Valley, simmered with sugar and a little lemon juice until thin and syrupy - using only the fragrant petals, with the bitter white base at the petal's stem trimmed away, is what keeps the jam sweetly floral instead of bitter.
⏱ 60 min🍽 8 servings
snack
Ingredients
- •4 cups fresh rose petals (Rosa damascena)
- •3 cups sugar
- •1 cup water
- •2 tbsp lemon juice
Steps
- 1.Trim off the small pale, bitter base of each rose petal where it attaches to the flower, keeping only the fragrant colored part - skipping this trim is what makes rose jam taste bitter instead of purely floral.
- 2.Rinse the petals gently and pat dry. Toss them with 1 cup of the sugar in a bowl, gently bruising them with your hands, and let sit for 2-3 hours, until they release their fragrant liquid and soften.
- 3.Combine the remaining sugar and water in a pot and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves, to make a syrup.
- 4.Add the softened rose petals and their liquid to the syrup and bring back to a gentle boil.
- 5.Simmer on low heat for 30-35 minutes, skimming off any foam, until the syrup has thickened slightly and turned a deep pink, and the petals look translucent.
- 6.Stir in the lemon juice during the last 5 minutes - the acidity is what keeps the jam's color bright and helps it set properly.
- 7.Ladle into sterilized jars while hot and seal. Let cool completely before storing; refrigerate after opening.