Strawberry and Rose Water Jam

Strawberry and rose water jam is a wonderful combination of tart, sweet, and floral flavours. The addition of the rose water gives a basic, classic strawberry jam, a very delicious twist.

Honey vs Jam Sugar

This recipe was inspired by a recent delve into the dessert chapter of Falastin by Sami Tamimi and Tara Wigley. A truly fabulous book!

Their recipe for Al Mabroushy (Palestinian Bakewell Tart) called for a batch of strawberry and rose jam made with jam sugar. Not an ingredient I’ve used before nor found pleasing to the tastebuds. This sugar has pectin and citric acid added to it, which are not things I add to my jams. And whilst jam sugar may guarantee your jam will set, it gave the tart a very odd aftertaste.

As a result, attempt number one at this dessert was not deemed a success. Undeterred though – it inspired a round two bake-up, with honey replacing the jam sugar. And that was a definite winner. The honey meant no strange aftertaste and it also added its own depth of flavour into the mix. Not only will this version of the strawberry and rose jam be used to make Palestinian Bakewell Tart again, it’s also just a great jam to have in the fridge. It’s delicious on toast, scones, to spread on cake, or dare I say it – just to sample from the jar!

Have you used jam sugar before? I’d love to know your thoughts on it in the comments if you have.

Ingredients Needed For This Jam

Rose water is now available in most supermarkets or local delis. You may already have a bottle sitting up the back of the cupboard from some recipe made eons ago. This strawberry and rose water jam will give you another reason to use some of it up!

• Strawberries – This is the base flavour of the jam however, the combination with the rose water is glorious! A little tart, a little floral and a little sweet. Perfection.
• Honey – I love the added sweetness honey brings to jams. It adds a depth of flavour you just don’t get from sugar.
• Lemon juice – This is used to lower the pH of the jam and help it set.
• Rose water – This used to be such a specialty ingredient that was hard to find, but that’s no longer the case. 1.5 tablespoons in a whole batch of jam may not seem like much, but a little really does go a very long way. Don’t be tempted to use more because the flavour will intensify as it chills.

If you would prefer to make this jam with sugar in place of honey, I suggest taking it up to at least 1 cup. Honey is far sweeter than sugar so not increasing the volume of sugar used could mean your jam is still too tart once complete.

How To Make This Strawberry And Rose Water Jam

All you need is a big pot and a little time to get this jam made. You’re looking for the strawberries to be broken right down, with a few good-sized pieces left that you can bite into.

1. Cut the green tops off the strawberries and discard, then cut the strawberries into quarters.
2. Toss the strawberries into a large pot with the lemon juice and honey. Place over a medium heat and allow the honey to melt.
3. Reduce the heat to low just as the mixture starts to bubble, then simmer the jam mix for about an hour or until thickened. Regularly skim any scum that comes to the surface and be sure to stir frequently so the jam doesn’t stick. In the meantime, place a small saucer in the freezer. This is used to test that the jam will set.
4. Ten minutes before the jam is ready – pour hot water into the jar you’ll be using. This heats it up and ensures the glass wont crack when hot jam is poured in.
5. To test that the jam has set correctly, take the saucer out of the freezer and drop a teaspoon of jam onto it. Let it sit for a minute then run your finger through the middle. If the jam stays separated, it’s ready. If it rushed back to form a blob it needs to cook a little longer. Keep repeating this test until the jam remains separated on the cold saucer.
6. Remove the pot from the heat once the jam is ready and stir in the rose water. Mix very well to disperse it throughout the jam.
7. Pour out the water from your jam jar and give it a quick wipe with paper towel. Now pour the jam into the spotlessly clean jar, wipe the rims of any excess and seal with a lid. Leave to cool slightly on the bench then store in the fridge and use within a couple of months.

If you would like to make this jam shelf stable see instructions for canning in my Rhubarb and Strawberry Jam post.

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Want More Condiment Ideas? Take A Look At These!

• Rhubarb and Strawberry Jam
• Tangelo Curd
• Rosella Jam

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