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Saffron Yogurt Mousse with Rose Petal Honey



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This dessert is an adaptation of some pretty well known names..  Mousse,  Panna Cotta & the Shrikhand. It is light like a mousse, creamy like a panna cotta & flavored like a shrikhand with the ingredient here being the yogurt. I love mousse & panna cottas but if I really think about making those my everyday desserts, I have to think twice. All the eggs & cream that goes in there do not suit my kind of life style… & my sense of reason & guilt overpowers the desire to enjoy.

However I do not see why it is not possible to have a sinfully indulgent & elegant dessert… without having to sin.  This dessert is  all about that! It is all yogurt, with all the whey drained which turned it into a beautiful thick cream. It is a mousse without eggs, a panna cotta without heavy cream & a set shrikhand with honey & all the wonderful flavors of saffron which is my very favorite & some fresh rose petals from by garden bloom… Sending this to  HOTM April: Flowers hosted by Ilva of Lucullian Delights.


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A small note about the recipe here: I have used gelatin to mould them (& hence the mousse). It tastes as good without  the gelatin. The yogurt is thick & very creamy. It is a wonderful dessert treat with the saffron & the fragrant rose petal honey .. to be just scooped out with a spoon.  Without the use of Gelatin, it is the traditional Indian Shrikhand.



Ingredients: (made 2 small ramekins of mousse)

  1. 8-oz. plain,  yogurt (about 1 cup) [Or Greek style yogurt- skip the draining if you are using this]
  2. A generous Pinch of Saffron
  3. 2 tbsp of Rose Petal Honey (Recipe below)[ may be substituted with sugar, or any natural sweetners like agave nectar. I have used the honey here to keep the flavor of the rose consistent] – use more or less to taste
  4. About 6  Tablespoons of Low Fat Milk
  5. 1 Tablespoon chopped Organic Rose Petals (I used the roses from our garden ) – Can use more if you want
  6. A little less than 1/2 Teaspoon of Unflavored Gelatin (Or any gelatin substitute like Agar Agar)
  7. Vegetable oil to very light grease the ramekins
  8. More Rose Petals & Slivered Almonds for Garnish(Optional)


For the Honey:

  1. 1/2 Cup Honey
  2. 1/4 Cup Loosely packed Organic Rose Petals of any fragrant rose





Preparation:

To Prepare the Honey:

Wash the rose petals. Dry them lightly .. pat with paper towels.

Lightly fill a jar (  I used a small bowl, since I made in real small amount), & pour the honey over it.

Let it stand for a few days to a couple of weeks. It gets more fragrant with time.


Preparing the Mousse:

Drain yogurt in a paper-towel-lined/or cheese cloth sieve. Press and stir with a large spoon & then leave to drain. Put the bowl in refrigerator.

After 10 -12  hours the liquid will have strained through enough that the yogurt in sieve & the yogurt will be thick and creamy. (even better if drained overnight/24 hrs) – The draining step may be skipped if you are using the thick Greek Style Yogurt.

Transfer to a clean bowl. Whisk it well in the bowl to make it fluffy & airy.

Gently crush the saffron threads between your fingers. Blend it in with the yogurt. Set aside & let it sit for a couple of hours for the flavor of the saffron  to be infused. The Yogurt will take on the light yellow color from the saffron.

Sprinkle gelatin over 1 Tablespoon water in a small bowl and let stand 1 minute to soften. Heat the milk in the microwave for about 40 seconds or till almost boiling hot. Stir in gelatin in the warm milk until dissolved & there are no lumps.

Mix yogurt, rose petals & honey.

Mix a little yogurt into gelatin and then mix the gelatin into the rest of the yogurt, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Whisk them together well again to blend & fluff.

Line the Ramekins with vegetable oil.

You can line them with a few rose petals if you want. Spoon the yogurt mix in to the ramekins. Cover & put them  in a refrigerator and chill until it sets (about 6-8 hours. Overnight works best).

To Assemble:

Before serving place a plate over the ramekin, turn it over & tap the ramekin lightly for it to come out.

Drizzle some rose petal honey on the mousse & serve chilled.




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A spoonful of goodness melted in my mouth…

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It tasted divine. Light, creamy – & I loved the tiny bits of rose petals in it. It was not too sweet, just the way I like my desserts. The best part of it was the drizzle of rose petal honey…added a whole new dimension of flavor to it. The saffron & the rose petals are just one of other options. The same delicacy may be presented with bits of fruits & nut in it, or flavoring it with orange blossom water.




Related Posts:

Sugar Grilled Mangoes with Saffron Yogurt & Nuts
Pineapple Coconut Mousse with Pistachios
Almond Panna Cotta with Zesty Berry Compote




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April 13th, 2009 | Category: Desserts & Sweets

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