Recipes
Berry Parfait with Rosewater
Serves 12
| Prep Time: 20 mins
| Cook Time: 10 mins
| Total Time: 30 mins
Discover The Recipe
In researching the authentic flavors of Lebanon, one exotic ingredient called 'rosewater' kept popping up in dessert recipes, leaving us intrigued. You can buy bottled rosewater in stores or online, but it's relatively expensive for an ingredient we don't use frequently. With a simple, kitchen-friendly process we developed, you can accelerate the arrival of spring and sample a classic Lebanese flavor. Boiling culinary rose petals at home produces an intense rosewater "tea" that is quite bitter. To balance the bitterness and bring the delicate rose flavor forward, our recipe calls for sweetening the resulting tea with sugar, honey, or agave nectar. Served over a dessert, the bitterness completely disappears and the subtle flavor of rose emerges in the nose and the palate. We suggest using 1-2 tbsp of the rosewater in our berry parfait with rosewater recipe. Or, make the rosewater and drizzle a small amount over a simple dessert like vanilla ice cream.
Ingredients
2 tbsp (1 packet) of Piquant Post Provence Rose buds
2-4 tbsp of sugar, honey or agave (sweeten to taste)
1 sleeve graham crackers (10 sheets) crushed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
Pinch of salt (optional)
2 cups of plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp rosewater
1 lb of strawberries, rasberries, and/or blueberries
2-3 sprigs of fresh mint for garnish (optional)
Notes
Boiled rosewater is bitter like a strong tea. Adding sweetener balances it and brings the rose to the front.
If you're not familiar with rosewater, start with a small amount before adding more to taste.
You’ll see in our packets that there are rosebuds and petals. These are culinary grade roses and there is no need to separate just the petals from the buds. Just throw it in the water and boil, then strain.
Be careful not to over boil the rose bud water mixture. Doing so will cause more evaporation and will concentrate the tea and make it even more bitter. Just boil long enough for the water to take a rosy hue and for the petals to have lost their color. Then remove from heat, cover, and let cool.
Optional ingredients add a little character and flavor but don't sweat it if you don't have them.
Instructions
Make the rosewater first. Boil 1/2 cup of water in a small sauce pan. When the water boils, add a packet of Provence Rose petals and buds to the pot. Reduce heat to Med and cover. Boil the roses for about 7 minutes or until the petals turn pale pink. Remove from heat strain the petals by pouring the liquid through a mesh strainer or colander. While liquid is hot, stir in sugar, honey, or agave nectar to dissolve (taste and add more until desired sweetness). Set the bowl of rosewater in the fridge to speed cooling.
To make the graham cracker layer, add crackers to food processor and chop (or add to a large zipper bag, then gently roll/mash with a soda can or rolling pin until all crackers are crushed into bits). Melt butter in microwave. Then, add cracker bits to a medium bowl with butter over top. Stir to mix.
In a large mixing bowl, add the yogurt, rosewater, vanilla extract, and sugar. Quickly stir to mix. Slice berries.
Make the parfaits: alternate layers of graham crackers, yogurt filling, and berries. Garnish with mint. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Alternatives & Substitutions
Want an even easier dessert, try our Vanilla Ice Cream with Rosewater recipe.
Ready to explore more dessert and baked goods recipes using rosewater? Here’s a link to a list of gorgeous rosewater desserts.
Here’s a list of other uses for rosewater.
Be sure to leave comments and feedback on your meals and experiments in the comments for others to read.
Post pictures of your masterpiece meal on social media and tag us. We repost!
Berry Parfait with Rosewater
Ingredients
2 tbsp (1 packet) of Piquant Post Provence Rose buds
2-4 tbsp of sugar, honey or agave (sweeten to taste)
1 sleeve graham crackers (10 sheets) crushed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
Pinch of salt (optional)
2 cups of plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp rosewater
1 lb of strawberries, rasberries, and/or blueberries
2-3 sprigs of fresh mint for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Make the rosewater first. Boil 1/2 cup of water in a small sauce pan. When the water boils, add a packet of Provence Rose petals and buds to the pot. Reduce heat to Med and cover. Boil the roses for about 7 minutes or until the petals turn pale pink. Remove from heat strain the petals by pouring the liquid through a mesh strainer or colander. While liquid is hot, stir in sugar, honey, or agave nectar to dissolve (taste and add more until desired sweetness). Set the bowl of rosewater in the fridge to speed cooling.
To make the graham cracker layer, add crackers to food processor and chop (or add to a large zipper bag, then gently roll/mash with a soda can or rolling pin until all crackers are crushed into bits). Melt butter in microwave. Then, add cracker bits to a medium bowl with butter over top. Stir to mix.
In a large mixing bowl, add the yogurt, rosewater, vanilla extract, and sugar. Quickly stir to mix. Slice berries.
Make the parfaits: alternate layers of graham crackers, yogurt filling, and berries. Garnish with mint. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
Boiled rosewater is bitter like a strong tea. Adding sweetener balances it and brings the rose to the front.
If you're not familiar with rosewater, start with a small amount before adding more to taste.
You’ll see in our packets that there are rosebuds and petals. These are culinary grade roses and there is no need to separate just the petals from the buds. Just throw it in the water and boil, then strain.
Be careful not to over boil the rose bud water mixture. Doing so will cause more evaporation and will concentrate the tea and make it even more bitter. Just boil long enough for the water to take a rosy hue and for the petals to have lost their color. Then remove from heat, cover, and let cool.
Optional ingredients add a little character and flavor but don't sweat it if you don't have them.
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