flowers in a garden? nah, flowers in a dessert is more interesting!

For this week's blog I decided to write something different and interesting. Different because these are international desserts but surely can be made here as well. if you see the recipes, they are very easy to implement. Interesting because to me the whole concept of the edible flowers is interesting. Not to mention they are really extremely pretty to look at and just as delicious as well. Edible flowers can be used for many purposes. They are used in savoury dishes as well as in sweet dishes. They are used to garnish or used as toppings on many dishes, they are also used to make so many delicious salads. I am a really big fan of edible flowers. They make a normal dish extraordinary.

So I have listed seven desserts made from varieties of edible flowers. These impeccably presented dishes are going to steal your hearts and definitely you will want to try making these at home by realising just how easy it is to make them.

Happy reading! Happy learning! Happy making!

Coconut Lilac Tapioca

Lilac blossoms have many uses. They are used for decorations and are edible as well. Hence they go with a lot of recipes. The combination of tapioca, lilac and coconut is just very balanced and extremely tasty. This dish has just enough texture from the tapioca and lilac flowers, and the coconut and lilac flavors provide a nice balance.

INGREDIENTS

½ c. large pearl tapioca (a starch which is in turn extracted from the cassava root- a shrub)
2 cans of unsweetened coconut milk
3 c. whole milk
½ c. sugar
1 c. lilac blossoms
36 fresh lilacs

Lilac black berry syrup

DIRECTIONS

Soak tapioca in coconut milk for 1 hour, stirring occasionally to make sure you end up with individual bouncy nuggets rather than a solid lump of tapioca.
Combine milk and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to a fast simmer. Stir in tapioca with coconut milk and bring to a boil.
Simmer uncovered, stirring frequently, for about 1 hour, or until tapioca turns soft and translucent. Let pudding cool before stirring in lilac blossoms. Cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 1 week. Serve topped with lilac blackberry syrup and fresh or candied lilacs, if desired.

Lilac black berry syrup

These flower syrups are similar to flower simple syrups but much thinner and easier to pour, perfect for using as a finishing syrup over pancakes, waffles, or ice cream.

INGREDIENTS

3 c. lilac blossoms
2 c. boiling water
½ c. sugar
4 tbsp. fresh or frozen blackberries

DIRECTIONS

Place blossoms in a medium bowl and pout boiling water over them. Let stand for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring flower water, sugar, and berries to a simmer. Cook and stir mixture for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and pour through a fine mesh strainer into a glass container. Discard the solids. Refrigerate for up to 1 month.

Rose Petal Sorbet

Infuse an evening with romance by serving this delicate, yet flavorful, sorbet as a palate cleanser or a light dessert.

INGREDIENTS

3 c. organic rose petals
1 c. sugar
1 1 vanilla bean
4 tbsp. lemon juice
1 c. Champagne
¼ c. blackberry jam

DIRECTIONS

Combine the rose petals, sugar, and vanilla bean seeds in a food processor. Process mixture until paste forms.
Add 3 cups water, lemon juice, and champagne, and pulse to combine.
Strain mixture into a bowl and stir in jam. Process the sorbet in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions. Store frozen for 1 week.

Nutritional information given is based on 1/2 cup sorbet.

Lavender-Rose Honey

INGREDIENTS

1 qt. mild raw honey
¾ c. dried organic rose petals
½ c. dried lavender flowers

DIRECTIONS

In a large glass jar, mix the honey with the rose petals and lavender flowers. Close the jar and let stand in a sunny window for 2 weeks, turning every few days. Warm the jar in a microwave or under hot water until the honey is runny. Strain the honey through a fine sieve into a clean jar. Discard the flowers. Store the honey in a cool, dark place for several months.

Rose-Scented Geranium Filo Cups

At first glance, this delicate dessert looks simple. But its few ingredients come together in a thoughtful and balanced composition, much like a good haiku. Fill crisp, delicate pastry cups with light, tart geranium pastry cream and fresh raspberries topped with geranium whipped cream, decorated with the petals of a few flowers

INGREDIENTS

6 sheets filo dough
3 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 c. mixed fresh raspberries
2 c. Geranium pastry cream
1 c. Geranium whipped cream
Petals of 24 rose-scented geranium flowers

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Brush the insides of a 12-cup muffin pan with butter. Cover filo dough with a barely damp towel and a piece of plastic wrap.
Working with one square at a time, brush filo with melted butter and place in muffin cups. Use at least 3 squares of filo per cup. Bake until cups are golden brown, about 6 minutes. Turn cups out of pan and set them right side up for filling.
Place a dollop of pastry cream in each cup and top with several fresh berries. On top of that, place a small heap of scented whipped cream and a couple of geranium flowers. Serve.

Geranium whipped cream

Just think how a lightly scented flower whipped cream will dress up your party. Put some on a slice of pie, a dish of ice cream, a pile of fresh berries, or a shortcake

INGREDIENTS

2 c. very cold heavy cream
1 tbsp. to 1 cup flower petals
½ tsp. pure vanilla extract
¼ c. confectioners' sugar

DIRECTIONS

Put heavy cream, flower petals, vanilla, and confectioners' sugar in large mixing bowl. Chill for a least 30 minutes and up to overnight. Strain out petals. With a mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip mixture on high speed for 3 minutes, or until it forms soft, billowy peaks. Serve right away or refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
Dianthus Whipped Cream: Use 1 cup dianthus flowers.
Geranium Whipped Cream: Use 1/3 cup scented geranium flowers or, for a richer geranium flavor and aroma, use a mix of scented geranium flowers and leaves; geranium leaves are edible and more potent than flowers.

Tulip Ice Cream Bowls

There are plenty of edible ice cream containers out there, but none so fetching as a tulip. A lovely tulip brimming with creamy ice cream is a sight to behold. I like to add a couple of fresh berries and a splash of tulip syrup

INGREDIENTS

4 tulip blossoms
4 large or 12 small scoops ice cream
1 pt. Fresh berries
Several teaspoons of Tulip Syrup

DIRECTIONS

Prop each tulip in a container that will help it stand upright, such as an eggcup or a champagne flute. Place 1 large scoop (or 3 small scoops) ice cream in each tulip. Drizzle a little tulip syrup over each and place a few fresh berries on the top. Serve immediately!

Tulip syrup

Colorful flower-infused simple syrups have oh so many uses. Strong and sweet, they are best used as bases in other recipes, such as sorbets or drink mixes

INGREDIENTS

2 c. sugar
1 c. water
2 tbsp. to 1 cup fresh or dried flowers

DIRECTIONS

Dissolve sugar in water over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it reaches a simmer. Place flowers in a nonreactive bowl (glass, enamel, or stainless steel). Pour hot syrup over top and let stand for at least 30 minutes. Strain mixture and discard flowers. Simple syrups can be stored in fridge for 1 or 2 months. If it begins to crystallize simple heat it again until smooth.
Tulip Syrup: Use the petals of 2 tulips (about 1 cup).
Pansy Syrup: Use 1 cup of pansy petals.
Violet Syrup: Use 1 1/2 cups violets.

Blackberry Borage Fool

A fool is a simple, old-fashioned English dessert made with fruit folded into whipped cream. It is so light you could fool yourself into thinking it has no calories at all, and the layers of flavors are complex enough that it is satisfying without being filling. British accent is optional." "A fool is a simple, old-fashioned English dessert made with fruit folded into whipped cream. It is so light you could fool yourself into thinking it has no calories at all, and the layers of flavors are complex enough that it is satisfying without being filling. British accent is optional

INGREDIENTS

1 c. heavy cream
⅓ c. borage flowers
4 c. fresh blackberries
1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tsp. freshly grated ginger
1 tbsp. confectioners' sugar

DIRECTIONS

Put heavy cream and borage flowers in a covered container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours. In a bowl, combine 2 cups of blackberries with lime juice and ginger and let them infuse for same amount of time as the cream.
Mash blackberry mixture by hand or in a food processor.
Strain borage-infused cream through a fine-mesh strainer and discard the solids. Combine with confectioners’ sugar in bowl of a mixer, and whip on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, or until cream is soft and billowy, but firm. Reserve a small amount for garnish, if desired.
Gently fold blackberry mash into borage cream. Divide remaining 2 cups of blackberries between four tall cups or parfait glasses and top with borage blackberry cream. Garnish with reserved borage cream, if desired, and borage flowers.

Flower popsicles

It's almost summertime. Flowers are abloom and summer treats are abound. So naturally, we've decided to combine the two to create beautiful and refreshing flower popsicles!

Ingredients

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 tbsp to 1/2 c dried flowers

Directions

fresh edible flowers, rinsed and remove petals
Gather your flowers
Choose your own edible flowers – fresh or dried. here potpourri is used, you can use lavender, elderflower, hibiscus, fresh rose, and fresh carnation.
Then steep 'em.
Heat sugar, water, and flowers in a saucepan over medium heat. Depending on how floral you like your pops, add between 2 tbsp and 1/2 cup of the dried flowers (we like ours to POP, so we use about 1/2 cup). Cover and remove from heat. Set aside for 1 hour, allowing the flowers to steep. Pour mixture into pop molds while straining out the flowers.
Add the freshies. Freeze without stick for one hour, then remove from freezer and add fresh flower petals, arranging them evenly throughout the pop (you may have to push them down with the stick). Add sticks and freeze until solid.