Rose Petal & Strawberry Jelly Filled Heart Sponges

The roses have been in bloom in our garden. Only one or two at a time. Then BAM - about 8 open on one day. Yippee - finally, there are enough to do something with. I wander down the garden with a pair of scissors and sadistically chop all the heads off..... 

These were not for a vase - they were to cook and make into a jelly (seedless jam).

Oliver was rather bemused as I pulled all the petals from the roses and then told me off for ruining them. He soon changed his tune when it came to blitzing them with a hand blender and he wanted a turn !

RECIPE FOR STRAWBERRY & ROSE PETAL JELLY

3 cups water

juice of a lemon

juice of 1/2 a lime

2 cups granulated sugar

75ml liquid pectin

200g strawberries

petals from approx 7 rose heads

First of all, remove all the petals from the rose heads and check for "wee beasties". Gently rinse under clean, cold tap water. 

Put the rose petals in a jug with the water and blitz with a hand held mixer. Rather reminds me of making "perfume" as a kid !

Put your blitzed rose petal soup into a pot and bring to the boil. Turn off heat and leave to stand for about 30mins. Strain through muslin to remove the petals (which will now look a funny white / grey colour). Put the liquid back in the pot. Add mushed strawberries, sugar, lemon and lime. Boil for approx 10 minutes.

Strain again through a muslin cloth to remove strawberry seeds and remains. Careful ! The liquid will be very hot (unless you have loads of patience and let it cool first)

Put liquid back into the pot once more. Add the pectin and boil for approx another 10 mins or until it starts to thicken slightly. Remove from heat and pour into warm, sterilised jars. Fills 3 small jars.

Use to spread on to home made scones or fresh bread. Works well for filling little cakes too !

These little cakes were made in a brand new silicone bakeware / cake mould that we now have available. The new 8 Recessed Heart Mould has heart shaped cells with a recessed heart shape internally within each one. This creates a perfect little cavity to drop in some of the rose petal and strawberry jelly....

A basic 2 egg sponge mix will fill all 8 cells nicely

Grease and flour each cell, tapping out any excess before filling with cake mix

(I use 60g butter, 60g sugar and 60g of self raising flour + 1 egg. This can be multiplied as required for a basic sponge)

Fill cells 3/4 full with sponge mix 

Bake at approx 160deg C Fan oven for around 18mins or until done.

It will look like this coming out the oven. Allow to cool for 5 minutes or so until cool enough to handle. Flip the mould over and the heart cakes will come out.

Once totally cooled, put BACK in the moulds and cut the tops off the cakes with a serrated knife level to the top of the mould. Turn the cakes back out and they will all now have neat, even bases.

Drop a spoonful of (preferably) home made jam or jelly into each cavity.

Share with a friend and some sticky fingered toddlers (that like sucking the jammy bit out the middle) and then feed your cake to a bunch of scrounging chickens that are patiently waiting on leftovers !

Thanks for posing Nicky & glad you enjoyed them :-)   The boys had fun when they weren't fighting ! x

Sarah-Jane Nash. Happy summer days - www.siliconemoulds.com  - July 11