Rosehip Syrup
A wonderfully simple autumn syrup made from foraged rosehips — naturally rich in vitamin C and perfect for the colder months.
Rosehips are one of the hedgerow’s great autumn gifts. They are naturally rich in vitamin C and make a lovely traditional winter syrup. The finished syrup is fruity and slightly tart, and works beautifully diluted with water, added to warm drinks or drizzled over porridge.
You will need:
A simple rule: once you’ve strained the rosehips, measure the liquid carefully — that measurement tells you how much sugar and lemon to add.
Method
Simple steps · Great resultsPick & prepare
Pick as many ripe rosehips as you want. Remove any stalks, leaves or damaged hips and give the fruit a good rinse.
Cover with water
Put the rosehips into a large pan and add enough water so that it sits roughly 1cm above the fruit.
Simmer
Bring the pan to the boil, then reduce the heat and gently simmer for 30 minutes.
Strain & rest
Allow the mixture to cool to around 30°C, then strain through fine muslin. For a clearer syrup, avoid squeezing the muslin. Refrigerate the strained liquid overnight.
Sweeten & reduce
Measure the rosehip liquid. For every 1 litre, add 300g white sugar. Return to a clean pan, bring to the boil and simmer until the volume has reduced by roughly one third.
Lemon & bottle
Allow the syrup to cool. For every litre of rosehip liquid you originally measured, add the juice of half a lemon. Pour into clean, sterilised bottles and keep refrigerated.
