CONTENTS

• What is rose sugar?
• Rose sugar and its properties
• Rose sugar – what is it used for?

Lovers of unusual spices and natural products have certainly already encountered rose sugar. It's a novelty, but one that's increasingly available in health food stores, or you can make it yourself by combining just two ingredients. What can rose sugar be used for, and how do you prepare it? We recommend you read on.

What is rose sugar?

Rose sugar is a type of naturally flavored sweetener. As the name suggests, it boasts an intense rose aroma, which, combined with sweetness, makes it a perfect combination for flavoring desserts, beverages, and baked goods.

This product consists of only two ingredients:

• Cane or beet sugar (mostly white, i.e. refined),
• Petals of the wrinkled rose (Rosa rugosa), also known as the Japanese rose or wrinkled rose. This variety is popular in Poland for its intense fragrance, beautiful appearance, and tasty fruits rich in vitamin C, and is often used for making preserves and canned goods.

The sugar is ground into the cleaned and dried flakes until the crystals take on an intense pink color. This spice can be prepared at home in a variety of ways, or you can buy ready-made rose sugar. It's worth choosing products made from certified organic ingredients that are free of harmful substances or heavy metals.

Rose sugar and its properties

Unfortunately, rose sugar retains the properties of the sugar from which it is made. White sugar crystals are used in its production to preserve its aesthetic qualities and intense color. For this reason, its potency and calorific value remain unchanged after rubbing with a rose.

The advantage is its simple composition, with no artificial flavors or preservatives. So, if you want to use sugar as a sprinkle or as an addition to your favorite drink, you can choose rose sugar, which provides a pleasant aroma.

Rose sugar – what is it used for?

Aromatic rose sugar is used in cooking, but can also be used as an ingredient in home body care.

In the kitchen: Rose sugar is a great addition to desserts. It can be used as a decorative topping for cakes, puddings, custards, or porridge. It's a great addition to cold drinks, especially lemonades, fresh fruit juices, and cold teas like matcha tea with added plant milk. It's also worth using when baking cakes and cookies.

Crushed rose petals retain their characteristic color, giving rose sugar a subtle color that can be used when serving yogurt or in making homemade egg white meringue. Rose sugar can also be used as a drink decoration—for example, brushing it over the rim of a glass.

For skincare: These aren't all the uses for rose sugar. What will it be good for in the bathroom? For example, for preparing a homemade lip scrub (e.g., with the addition of olive or coconut oil) or for an aromatic body scrub. A portion of sugar should be mixed with the selected oil in a 3:1 ratio and used immediately after preparation.

If you have access to a rugosa rose bush, you can make a batch of sugar at home. Just make sure the flowers grow away from the road. Wash the petals thoroughly, dry them, and remove the lighter part of the base. For 250g of sugar, you'll need two handfuls of flakes. Grind the ingredients in a mortar or blender until combined. Sprinkle the mixture onto a plate or board and let it dry completely. Sugar made this way can be stored in a cupboard, preferably in a tightly sealed jar.