How to Make Herbal Rose Water

Rose water has been used for years in cosmetics for its light astringent properties. My grandmother made her own and she used it as a toner for her fair and dry skin. It can also be used when cooking pastries, cakes, cookies etc. If you have roses, especially the red ones, then you can make your own good quality rose water. This recipe makes about one pint to one quart of rose water in about an hour or less.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Large ceramic, granite or glass pan with rounded lid
• Clean fireplace brick
• Large bowl
• 2-3 quarts of fresh red rose petals; organically grown and non-sprayed
• Bottled water
• Several trays of ice cubes or one bag of ice
• Decorative bottle
• Label
• Raffia or ribbon

1. In the large pot with an inverted lid, place a fireplace brick.

2. Place the bowl on top of the brick.

3. Put the roses in the pot up to the top of the brick.

4. Pour in water to cover the roses.

5. Place lid upside down on pot after bringing water to rolling boil, reduce water to a simmer.

6. Toss ice cubes or bag of ice on top of lid; As the water boils it will hit the top of the cold lid and condense; the condensed water will flow to the center of the rounded lid and drop into the bowl.

7. Lift the lid carefully about every 15 minutes and take out a some of the rose water and put into a decorative bottle; label and add ribbon.

Tips & Warnings

• Use your homemade rose water as a flavoring in pastries, puddings, cakes and cookies.
• Try other colors of roses besides red ones, or mixtures of colors to create your own special rose water.
• Use only organically grown and non-sprayed roses.
• Do allergy skin test prior to using rose water.
• Don’t simmer the water too long, as you will continue to produce distilled water but the rose essence will become diluted. Your rose water will smell more like plain distilled water, rather than the lovely scent of roses.
• Take caution on lifting the lid of a boiling pot of water.
• Use non-reactive pans only.
• Gather only organically grown rose petals.