the people of Britain were encouraged through letters to The Times newspaper, articles in the British Medical Journal, and pamphlets produced by Claire Loewenfeld, a dietitian working for Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children, to gather wild-grown rose hips to make a vitamin C syrup for children. This advice arose because German submarines were sinking commercial ships, making it difficult to import citrus fruits

Rosehip and crab apple jelly

Rosehip and apple jelly

• 2 lb/900g rosehips
• 4 lb/1800g of sweet eating apples. We use windfalls as they won’t keep
• Zest of half a lemon (add to the apples)
• Juice of half a lemon (strained). Half a medium lemon equates to one tablespoon of juice.
• 1pt/600ml of strained juice to 1lb/454g of white granulated sugar

This recipe makes 14 half pound jars. So adjust accordingly.

 Method: 

The apples and rosehips are cooked separately as they take different times to cook.
Remove stalks from the rosehips and place in a large stainless steel or glass pan. Barely cover the hips with water and bring to the boil.  Simmer gently until the hips are soft. Stir from time to time. Top up with water if necessary.
Wash the apples, cut out bad bits and chop roughly. There is no need to peel or core the apples. In a separate pan add the apples and water to cover. Add the lemon zest. Bring slowly to the boil and simmer very gently until all the fruit is soft and squishy.
Pour the cooked fruit into a large sterilised muslin ‘jelly bag’, double lined, hung over a large clean bucket or bowl [hang the bag between the legs of an upturned stool].
Leave the jelly bag to drip overnight (minimum 12 hours).
Measure the quantity of juice obtained, then pour the juice into a deep heavy bottomed saucepan.
Add 1lb/454g of white granulated sugar for each 1pt/570ml of juice.  Add the lemon juice.
Heat the juice and sugar gently stirring from time to time, make sure that all the sugar has dissolved before bringing the liquid slowly to the boil.
Boil for about 10 minutes then test for a set. Test every 3 to 5 minutes until setting point is reached. A set is reached when the liquid gels on a cool plate.  This should not take long as the apples have pectin in them which helps setting.
When jelly has reached setting point pour into warm sterilised jars using a funnel and ladle.
When slightly cooled, cover immediately with plastic lined screw top lids or waxed disks and cellophane tops secured with a rubber band.
Label when cold and store in a cool, dark place. Away from damp.

 

Rosehip wine

• 8oz rosehips
• ½ pint white grape juice concentrate
• 2 ¼ lb white sugar
• ½ teaspoon tannin
• Yeast [wine]
• I lemon chopped or 1 teaspoon citric acid
• Water to one gallon

Wash rosehips and pour 3 quarts boiling water on them in plastic bucket
When cool stir in other ingredients, cover with cloth
Ferment for at least 7 days, then strain through double jelly bag, leaving overnight
Top up with remaining water [to taste]
Ferment as usual in fermentation jar with bung and lock

Optional extra: Dried and chopped figs make an interesting addition to this wine and sugar can be replaced by honey

The River Cottage Rosehip syrup recipe [Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall]

Rosehips are, of course, a fruit the same family as apples in fact and this classic autumn hedgerow syrup has a unique and lovely flavour: warm, floral and fruity. This method is the simplest and best I've found for making rosehip syrup. Double-straining ensures that the tiny, irritant hairs found inside rosehips are removed.
Method
Sterilise a couple of bottles and vinegar-proof screw-tops or stoppers by washing thoroughly in hot soapy water, rinsing well, then putting them on a tray in a low oven (at 120°C/Gas 1⁄2) to dry out and heat up.
Roughly chop the rosehips in a food processor in batches, then transfer to a large saucepan and add 1.25 litres water.
Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for around 15 minutes.
Strain through a double layer of muslin, letting the pulp sit for a good half hour so that all the juice passes through.

 

Wash out the muslin, or cut a fresh piece, fold to double it and pass the strained juice through it again.
Measure the rosehip juice into a large saucepan.
For every 500ml, add 325g sugar.
Heat slowly, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved, then bring to the boil and boil for 3 minutes, skimming off any scum if necessary.
Decant immediately into the prepared bottles and seal.
Label when the bottles have cooled completely.
Use within 4 months and refrigerate once opened.

Try it for breakfast trickled over porridge, pancakes, drop scones or eggy bread; use it to sweeten plain yoghurt (with some chopped apple if you like); or for a delicious pud, trickle it on to hot or cold rice pudding or good vanilla ice cream