RECIPE: Rose syrup

6th June, 2024

Our resident forager and Mindful-in-Nature course leader Brigit-Anna McNeill shares a fragrant recipe perfect for making in the summer.

This makes a rose-tasting syrup that you can add to hot water for a nice cup of tea, or use with sparkling water for a yummy soda-type treat or just enjoy by the spoonful!

To add layers of taste, you can add other herbs to your brew such as elderberries, lemon balm, cinnamon, a pinch of cardamom, tulsi basil, and ginger to name a few!

Although this recipe includes hips and petals in its ingredients & directions, at this time of year, with just the petals an option, you could just double the amount of petals and take away the hips.

 

Ingredients 

• ¼ cup of dried or ½ cup fresh rose hips
• ¼ cup of dried or ½ cup fresh rose petals
• Peel of one organic lemon or orange, optional
• ¾ cup of raw, unprocessed honey
• 3½ cups of water

 

Directions

• Combine the rose hips and citrus peel (if using) with the water in a saucepan.
• Gently simmer for about ½ hour or until the liquid has reduced by just about half.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the rose petals and cover the pot with a lid.
• Let steep for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.
• Using a mesh strainer, strain the rose petals and hips out of the liquid, squish the herbal material to release as much of the liquid from the herbs as possible.
• Return the liquid to the pan and add the honey. Heat very gently until the honey is just dissolved.
• Bottle your syrup, add a label when cool and refrigerate. It should last for about 3 months in the fridge.