I’m so excited that spring is around the corner. The best time to go out and gather edible flowers like lilac, rose petals, violets, lavender, wild garlic and so on. So when I was asked if I’d like to create something delicious with edible flowers I had so many ideas spinning in my mind immediately. But after a few days I opted rose petals. It’s not only fragrant and delicious but has lovely vibrant color and sexy temptation. Hasn’t it?

Forced rhubarb has already been started to sell on the markets so currently I an eating rhubarb with everything. I love it! Rhubarb and rose go well together and added some extra touch to the exotic rice pudding. Go for it!

My younger boy is allergic to cow milk so I cooked the pudding with coconut milk so it’s vegan. But I made the jelly with store bought jelly powder which contained gelatin. You can swap it for pectin if you wish.

Special thanks to Tigershed  for the lovely rose petal samples. 

1. Heat the coconut milk in a pan on low heat. Add sugar, cinnamon, star anise, cardamom pods, a pinch of salt and orange zest. Pour the rice into a sieve and rinse with cold water. Leave to drain.
2. When the milk is hot add the rice meanwhile stirring. Simmer on low heat and stir occasionally. When the liquid starts absorbed add the water gradually, always just as tiny as necessary.  Cook the rice until tender about 25-30 minutes. Then remove from the hob and leave to cool for a few minutes.
3. Rinse the glasses or moulds in which it will be served. Divide the pudding between them. While they are left to cool make he jelly.
4. Heat the oven to 160 C. Clean the rhubarb stalks then cut into 2-3 cm sticks. Put into an ovenproof dish, add sugar, star anise and vanilla pod. (if use frozen rhubarb there’s no need to  thaw). Stir roughly then bake for about 20 minutes or until tender but still keeps its form.
5. Bring to boil approximately 100 ml water. Add the jelly powder and stir well. When the rhubarb is ready add the rose water then mix carefully with jelly. Set aside, leave to cool for about 5 minutes but don’t leave to set.
6. Spoon the jelly to the top of the pudding and divide between the glasses. Leave to set for at least half an hour then garnish with rose petals before serving.