Strawberry Confiture with Rose Petals

In June, the scents of strawberries and roses play in the air a great harmony between these two plants. Combining them together will be like experiencing a great symphony performance at any time of the year.

Yield: 1.5 liter ( 6 x 250 ml jars with lids)

Ingredients:

• 1.2 kg strawberries, hulled

• 1.2 kg sugar

• 1/4 cup lemon juice, strained

• 1 cup loosely packed red or pink rise petals from you garden or wild, make sure they are unsprayed

Instructions:

1. Rinse and dry off strawberries. Cut off the green top, if they are large fruits, cut them in half. If small, leave them as they are.

2. In the large glass bowl, layer the strawberries and rose petals with sugar. Pour in the lemon juice. Cover the bowl with plate or lid and let it stand in room temperature for 12 hours or over night.

3. Pour mixture into the stockpot and heat it up at medium temperature until sugar dissolves.

4. Increase the stove heat to medium high and let the mixture come to complete boil. Let it boil for 2 minutes, skim off any foam.

5. Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool off complete. Cover the mixture with light tea towel and leave it in room temperature for 12 hours or overnight.

6. Transfer gently strawberries and rose petals with fine mesh strainer into the glass or ceramic bowl. Boil remaining syrup until it drops slowly from a spoon. If using candy thermometer, it should reach 220 degrees F or 105 degrees C.

7. Return strawberries and rose petals back to the syrup and bring the mixture to a full boil. Confiture is now ready for final stage.

8. Sterilize jars, lids and rings.Ladle the fruit and syrup evenly into jars. Cover each jar with a lid and a ring. Fill the canner and jars with hot (not boiling) water to 2.5 cm above the tops of the jars. Boil 10 minutes at altitudes of less than 1,000 ft. At higher elevations, boil 1 additional minute for each additional 1,000 ft.

9. Remove each jar carefully from hot water bath, and let them cool off completely. Confitures should be stored in the cool storage room for up to a year.

   Enjoy it!