This recipe is inspired by my hand cream. Is that the weirdest thing to admit to? Maybe but it is true- Molton Brown’s rhubarb and rose range is gorgeous and when something smells good enough to eat, you have to make it into something to eat! So my rhubarb and rose jam was born. 
The last meeting of Bolton and Wigan Clandestine Cake Club was kindly sponsored by Tate and Lyle who supplied us with some jam sugar, so I thought that I would put it to good use along with the remaining rhubarb in the garden which was starting to look a bit ropey. 
The sugar is a 1:1 jam sugar meaning that you should use equal amounts of fruit and sugar. But I wanted to keep some of the tartness of the rhubarb so decided to go easy on the sugar and have a slightly soft set jam instead. I am so glad I did as I think it has resulted in a lovely rhubarb and rose jam which has a delicate aftertaste of rose rather than it being in your face floral. 
The addition of rose makes me whimsical and romantic- it is like a final waft of summer when you unscrew the lid. As the nights get darker and the mornings get more taxing, this could be a cure for the winter blues. 
I am currently eating healthy amounts spooned onto hot crumpets which I scoff on the way to work.
A soft set jam with a beguiling hint of rose.
Ingredients
- 950g rhubarb
- 850g 1:1 jam sugar
- 1.5 tsp rosewater
Instructions
- Wash your rhubarb and cut into chunks approx. 2-3cm long
- Place in a large pan over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally until it starts to soften
- Add the sugar to the pan, bring the heat up and stir until dissolved
- When you get to boiling, bring the heat down to a low simmer, add the rosewater and simmer for around 25 minutes
- To check if your jam is ready: take a cold saucer out of the freezer and drop a tsp of the mix onto it. Leave for approx. 20 seconds and then run your finger through the jam. If it doesn’t run back into place straight away it is ready. If it does, pop it back on the heat a few minutes more.
- Once you are happy with the set, remove from the heat and leave for 10 minutes.
- Skim any froth from the top of the pan before carefully decanting into your hot jam jars (I use a jug and a funnel)
- Put the lids on tight and store in a cool dark place
Thanks to Tate and Lyle for the sugar. They have some great jam tips and they are all over social media as We Love Baking.
*** Did you look at the recipe and think ‘that’s weird, there is definitely an orange in there’? Well I forgot to then add it to the jam, but it was so good I wrote the recipe without it. Yes, I am an idiot! ***
