I’ve been tinkering with the proportions in this Rosewater Buttercream recipe for years. I first made it as part of a lemon curd filled white cake for Easter. It was delicious but the buttercream was too sweet, a bit grainy and the rosewater flavor overwhelmed the delicate flavor of the cake. I had all but given up on making this recipe “blogworthy” but then I was helped by some divine intervention.
Continue reading “Rosewater Buttercream”Ingredient: rosewater
Violet Lemon Curd
Every year I try to make something really special with the first spring violets. For the last few years I have attempted to make a violet curd but it always failed, losing its amethyst color and turning gray when I heated it. And since there are a limited number of violets in my yard/neighborhood, I really only get one shot at it a year!
Continue reading “Violet Lemon Curd”Lilac and Violet Panna Cotta Tart
Every year I make violet jelly just like my mom taught me when I was a girl. But because the season is so brief and the color of the violet tea is so divine, I’m always looking to make something new and different with the foraged flowers. Last year it was Violet Lemonade, the year before that was Violet and Elderflower Gummies.
Continue reading “Lilac and Violet Panna Cotta Tart”Creamy Violet Sorbet
I’m always trying to think of new ways to serve up the gorgeous amethyst color of spring violets. This creamy violet sorbet is gorgeous. It looks gorgeous and it tastes gorgeous. This is technically a sherbet (a sorbet with added dairy) but since I can never figure out how to pronounce the word sherbet, I’ve decided it’s a creamy sorbet. It’s just the right amount of tart and sweet with a little floral kick of rosewater. Just like the violet lemonade and violet jelly, it’s the color here that makes it so special.
Continue reading “Creamy Violet Sorbet”Violet Lemonade
Every spring, my kids and I make violet jelly. Walking through the neighborhood on one of those rare spring days where it’s warm in the sun and cool in the shade and picking violets is a lovely way to spend an afternoon. Yesterday when we were making our jelly for the year, my youngest asked if we could make violet and dandelion candies. I’m still working on that…but it did remind me that last year we made some bonkers-good violet lemonade and I never posted the recipe. Which is awfully selfish. So here you go!
Continue reading “Violet Lemonade”Violet Elderflower Gummies
These elegant violet and elderflower gummies are sweet, floral and just a little tart. You only need a half cup of violet flowers, making this a perfect project for those first precious violets that pop up in the spring. This recipe can be made with a lot of variations but I’ve detailed how I did mine in the recipe below. The gummies, like the violets, don’t last long so it’s best to make them on the day you plan to eat them. Continue reading “Violet Elderflower Gummies”