Rose Petal Cream Cheese Spread Food

ROSE CHEESECAKE TART

Steps:

• For the crust: Position a rack in center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Pulse the shortbread cookies and salt together in a food processor until fine crumbs form (you should have about 2 cups). Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is the consistency of wet sand. Transfer to a 9-inch tart pan and, using a measuring cup, press the crumbs firmly into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Bake until the edges are lightly golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool.
• For the filling: Sprinkle the gelatin over 2 tablespoons warm water in a small microwave-safe bowl and stir to combine, then set aside to soften, about 5 minutes. Microwave on high, stirring every 10 seconds, until completely melted.
• Combine the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, vanilla, orange zest and salt in a food processor and process until the sugar has dissolved and no lumps remain. Add the melted gelatin and process until the gelatin is incorporated and the mixture is completely smooth.
• Pour the cream cheese mixture into the cooled crust and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Refrigerate, uncovered, until the cheesecake is just set but still soft, about 30 minutes.
• For the rose: Peel the mangoes using a vegetable peeler. With a very sharp knife, carefully cut each mango in half, tracing your knife around the pit. Slice the halves lengthwise as thinly as possible, about 1/8 inch thick. Halve the plums and remove the pits. Slice the halves as thinly as possible, about 1/8 inch thick.
• Fan out small stacks of about 6 to 7 mango slices into 8-inch-long strips. Arrange around the outer edge of the tart, leaning the slices upright against the crust. Overlap the strips slightly, making two rings of mango. Fan out a stack of about 6 to 7 slices of plum into 6-inch-long strips. Arrange the plum slices inside the innermost ring of mango, repeating with additional slices to create a ring of plums. Repeat with the remaining mango and plum slices creating alternating rings until you reach the center. Shingle 4 slices of mango to form a 4-inch-long strip; tightly roll it up and place it in the center of the cheesecake to create a rose bud.
• Refrigerate uncovered for at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours. Drizzle with honey before serving.

ROSE PETAL CREAM CHEESE SPREAD

Steps:

• Mix cream cheese and rose petals in food processor.
• Pulse until petals are chopped fine.
• Add rosewater and powered sugar a little at a time, until you get the taste and consistency you like.

ENGLISH ROSE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease and line the base and sides of 3 x 20cm round loose-bottomed cake tins with baking parchment. Tip all the ingredients for the cake into a large bowl and beat with an electric whisk until well combined. Divide the mixture between the 3 cake tins and smooth the tops. Bake for 45 mins, swapping the tins halfway through so they cook evenly. Leave to cool for 10 mins in the tins, then remove and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• To make the rose syrup, put the sugar in a pan with 100ml water and heat until the sugar has dissolved. Turn up the heat and bubble for 1-2 mins, then remove from the heat. Add the rose water: start with 1 tsp and taste, as some varieties are much stronger than others - just be careful as the syrup will be really hot. Spoon half the syrup over the 3 sponges and set aside.
• Add 2 tbsp of the syrup to the raspberries and crush them with a fork. Push the raspberries through a sieve into a bowl and discard the seeds. Sift in the icing sugar and mix to a smooth icing. In a second bowl, add another 2 tbsp of the syrup and the vanilla to the cream and whisk until it holds soft peaks. Chill until needed.
• To assemble, place one cake, flat-side up, on a plate or cake stand, and top with half the cream and a third of the remaining raspberries (see tips, below). Sandwich another cake on top and add the remaining cream, another third of the raspberries, then the last cake. Smooth the raspberry icing over the top, letting it drizzle down the sides. To decorate, we used a mixture of rose petal pieces (available from cookshops or online), homemade crystallised rose petals (see step-by-step, above) and the reserved raspberries.

ROSE PETAL ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Wash the rose petals in cold water and pat dry. In a heavy, non-reactive saucepan, place petals of 2 roses, milk, cream, and ½ cup of the sugar. Place over medium heat and heat to just under boiling. Let steep about a half hour to infuse.
• Combine the egg yolks and the remaining ½ cup of sugar in a mixing bowl. Whisk until thick and pale yellow. Bring the rose/cream mixture back to a near boil and whisk ¼ of the warm mixture into the egg and sugar mixture. Then pour all of the egg mixture into the rose milk and place over low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
• Strain into a bowl and chill on ice. Pour into the ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer finished ice cream into bowl and add the torn petals from the remaining rose. Fold into ice cream and pack into freezing container.