A few years ago I needed rose petals or rose water for some recipe and didn't have it. My grandmother and I therefore dried petals from the roses at my parents' house, some yellow and some red and put them aside. I haven't used very many since, and seeing their container the other day, it occurred to me that with their delicate flavour, rose petals could make for a very nice ice cream. I had intended to use my sister's no-churn recipe, but then forgot that I was going to do that and added the condensed milk to soon. Instead, I used my parents' old ice cream maker which I have inherited. I don't think it has been used in my life time, or if it has , not since I was very little. As it turns out, it was really easy, and has come out very nicely!
Ingredients:
2 c cream
1 c (ish, I just used a full tin) sweetened condensed milk
1 c (ish) dried rose petals (I used mostly yellow, but a couple red ones snuck in there)
1)Mix cream and condensed milk together in a saucepan. Tear up petals and add them. Stir and heat gently until warm, almost at a simmer and remove from the heat.
2) Leave to infuse over night. Cool.
3) Place in ice cream maker and process as per manufacturer's instructions. Freeze.
ALTERNATIVELY (which I had planned to do but didn't) without a churner:
1) Place cream in a saucepan. Tear up petals and add them. Stir and heat gently until warm, almost at a simmer and remove from the heat.
2) Leave to infuse over night. Cool. Strain out petals and whip cream to stiff peaks.
3) Gently fold in the petals and condensed milk. Freeze.
I am curious to see how different this would be if made with fresh rose petals. In any case it was really easy to whip up and certainly welcome! It is ages since I last made my own ice cream, but I don't think this will be the last for the season! The taste of this ice cream was very delicate and not too strong, but pleasant. It was creamy and not too sweet. All in all, very nice. Beware what you serve it with as some flavours would quickly overpower it. I decided to leave the rose petals in for a little texture, but they could easily be left out, or only half left in if you preferred.
EDIT: We had this again the other night with baked apples and a little cinnamon. Well worth it!
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