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Ingredients
Rose heads - 225g (8 oz),
Sugar - 450g (1 lb),
Water - 1.1 litres (2 pints),
Lemons - 2, juice only
  1. Pick the roses when they are in full bloom, remove the petals and snip off the white bases.
  2. Place the petals in a bowl with half the sugar. Cover and leave overnight. This will extract the scent and darken the petals.
  3. Pour the water and lemon juice into a saucepan and stir in the remaining sugar. Heat gently until the sugar has dissolved, but do not boil.
  4. Stir in the rose petals and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Bring to the boil and boil for about 5 minutes until thick. Pot and cover the jam.
Frosted flowers were used a great deal in Victorian times to decorate elaborate desserts. Violets, lilac flowers, rose petals and mimosa balls were popular and mint leaves were also used. They do look a very great deal prettier than most bought decorations, their colours are so delicate and subtle. Sugarfrosted petals can be stored in an airtight jar for a week or two.
Ingredients
Egg white - 1,
Pink rose petals,
Caster sugar
  1. Lightly beat the egg white. Use a pastry brush to paint the petals with a thin layer of egg white.
  2. While they are still wet dust them on both sides with caster sugar and leave them to dry in a warm place or in a very low oven with the door ajar.
Ingredients
100g bar 70% cocoa-solids dark chocolate,
360g punnet strawberries,
4 x 15ml spoons Brandy or Kirsch,
50g caster sugar,
25g butter,
2 x 15ml spoons double cream
  1. Place the chocolate in a bowl and place over a pan of hot water to melt.
  2. Hull the strawberries and cut in half. Heat a frying pan over a medium heat and add the strawberries and the Brandy or Kirsch. Cook for 30 seconds only remove from the heat. Light with a match and stand back. Remove the strawberries to a serving plate keeping the juices in the pan.
  3. Put the frying pan back over the heat, add the sugar and butter and stir together until the mixture begins to caramelise. Lastly add the cream and stir through.
  4. Pour the sauce over the strawberries, and drizzle over the melted chocolate and serve immediately.
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