Ally's Kitchen
Don’t think beautiful flowers are just for putting in vases! These delectable beauties can add a chic touch to your cooking!
I started cooking with roses and edible flowers because of my sweet friend, Karen Toochek, who owns Crystallized Flowers in Ohio. You can find Karen’s company’s page on Facebook, and I assure you, you will not be disappointed in her products! They just add that extra spectacular, not just special, touch to desserts. Together Karen and I did a Lavender Cheesecake, I created the cheesecake recipe, and Karen tutored me in how to incorporate the lavender water into it. This dessert was a runaway hit! True to my personality, when I find things that I like, I usually either buy more than one of whatever it is, keep going back for seconds if it’s food, and share these wonderful ‘thing’s with others. That’s precisely what I’m doing with my cooking and flowers!
STEPS:
1. Make Rose Petal Wine Water (This can be stored in your refrigerator for future usage, too.)
2. Make crust of pie.
3. Make filling of pie.
4. Bake pie then let it rest/cool.
5. Top pie.
6. Eat pie!
Serves 6-8
Preheat oven to 325
Use springform pan or tart pan (appx 8×11) with inside covered with cooking spray.
Rose Petal Wine Water
What you need:
4-6 large fresh rose blooms (pluck off the entire bloom and separate the petals)
1 cup sweet white wine (I used a medium sweet Riesling)
1 cup water
1/8 cup sugar
What you do:
Using a medium saucepan, put the rose petals in the wine and water. Simmer uncovered on low for about 20-30 minutes or until the liquid reduces by about half (more or less). The liquid will be a beautiful red color.
Strain liquid and remove rose petals. NOTE: I did not discard the rose petals…I’m trying to think how I might use them!)
Pour into a container with a lid and add sugar (more or less to taste). Refrigerate and use however you wish!
Tart, light, tender and with a rosy quality…this is truly like drinking the nectar of the Gods!
CRUST
10 tbl melted butter
½ cup almonds ground in food processor
5 tbl chopped cooked rose petals (drained from making Rose Petal Wine Water)
1 package (not box) graham crackers (ground in food processor)
1 cup Grape Nuts cereal (do not put in food processor)
What you do:
Melt butter and combine with dry ingredientss blending thoroughly. Pat into the bottom of a springform pan.
FILLING
1 cup Greek plain yogurt
1 cup whipped cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
¾ cup confectionary sugar
5 beaten eggs
8 tbl rose wine water
1 medium sized lemon for juice and zest (about 1-2 tbl zest)
What you do:
In a large mixing bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients and with a mixer at low speed, blend together. Add rose wine water and lemon juice/zest and stir into batter.
Pour into greased (or cooking spray) springform pan or tart pan. Place on cooking sheet. Bake at 325 for 60-65 minutes (after about 30 minutes loosely cover with foil to protect top from getting too brown…remove a few minutes before done) or until a toothpick comes out of the center clean. Allow to cool well.
Meringue or Lemon Greek Yogurt TOPPING
(Note: Either topping is great for this cheesecake pie…the yogurt is much easier…you just buy 2 cartons of Greek Lemon yogurt and spread atop the cheesecake pie then sprinkle with chiffonade thinly cut fresh red rose petals.)
6 egg whites (room temperature)
Pinch of cream of tartar
¼ cup confectionary sugar
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh rose petals and/or crystallized flower/rose petals
What you do:
In a medium sized mixing bowl whip eggs until they come to a fluffy consistency, While still whipping add a pinch of tartar and the confectionary sugar. When egg whites have stiff peaks spread on top of the baked cheesecake pie. Place in 400 degree oven for just a few minutes to slightly bring the meringue to a golden brown. Remove and sprinkle with finely cut rose petals and/or crystallized flower/rose petals. Serve and/or refrigerate until serving.
Greek Yogurt Topping: On the cooled cheesecake pie spread the containers of yogurt then sprinkle with rose petals and/or crystallized rose petals.
© 2011 Alice D’Antoni Phillips What’s for Dinner? Ally’s Kitchen
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