Rose-Kissed Peaches

This is an experience: juicy peaches tangled in the taste of the most fragrant English rose garden... these peaches are incredible with ice cream, pound cake, scones, alone or in a gourmet fruit salad. I use 6 cups of pink rose (Zephirine Drouhin) petals and 2 cups of red (Tradescant) to achieve a sublime color. It is important to use rose petals that are free of pesticides and very clean.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Yields: 4 pints

Ingredients

• 5  lbs  fresh peaches
• 1⁄4 cup fresh lemon juice, reserve 1 tsp
• 1 1⁄2 cups sugar
• 1⁄2 cup corn syrup
• 2  cups water
• 8  cups  fresh pink  rose petals or 8  cups  red  rose petals, cleaned

Directions

1. Skin peaches and remove pits.
2. Slice peaches into wedges and place in a bowl.
3. Cover sliced peaches with water and add lemon juice (reserving 1 tsp for rose syrup).
4. Let peaches stand while preparing rose syrup.
5. For rose syrup, in a large saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup and 2 cups water.
6. Bring mixture to a rolling boil and stir until sugar is dissolved.
7. When syrup is clear (all sugar is dissolved), remove pan from heat and stir in the rose petals and reserved lemon juice.
8. Return pan to heat and bring up to a slow boil for approximately 15 minutes or until the color has transferred from the petals to the syrup.
9. When the syrup is nicely colored, scented and slightly thickened, remove the pan from the heat, cover and cool while preparing the fruit.
10. Sterilize 4 1-pint canning jars, lids and sealing rings in a boiling water bath.
11. Keep canning jars in hot water until fruit is ready.
12. Drain the peaches from the soaking liquid.
13. Pack peaches into canning jars until peaches are 1 inch from top of jar or at jar shoulder.
14. Strain rose petals from syrup and then divide syrup among the 4 canning jars already filled with peaches.
15. Cover the jars with the sterilized lids and bands and tighten slightly.
16. Prepare a water canning bath, place jars in bath and cover with at least 2 inches of water then process in the boiling bath for 20 minutes.
17. Use tongs to remove jars from bath and place on a kitchen towel to cool.
18. Check covers to ensure a tight seal (cap should be slightly concave) and tighten bands if necessary.
19. Store in pantry for up to 1 year if seal is tight.
20. If seal is not tight, store in refrigerator for up to one month.