Violet Honey Syrup

Violets are one of my most beloved flowers.

I adore their fragrance, their beauty & their capacity to heal.

I have learnt to make a magical potion this winter- violet honey syrup.

It tastes delicious & it is also very helpful for coughs & sore throats. 

Such simple little fragrant flowers that come in many colours & forms.

A basket-full of violets smells like heaven, to me.

I was very glad to come across the recipe for violet honey paste a month or so ago when Rob had a cough that woke him through the night. 

 I made the paste just as was described & have now made it again & again & each time tweeked the recipe a little more.

I have discovered that these delightful Parma violets are the easiest to pick & the most fragrant of all.

I got the best results by using my simple old "whizz stick".

Each batch has been a little different but in the end I have decided that simple is best:

1 cup of packed violets
1 cup of clover honey, or other light coloured honey. Raw & local is even better.
juice of a large lemon
Blend all together until smooth
Pour in to a clean jar & store in the freezer.
Enjoy a spoon full at a time for coughs & tickly throats or just because its delicious.

Yummy on porridge.

And amazing in this simple little violet honey & guava mousse.

After making some guava jelly in early winter I pushed the fruit through a sieve, sweetened the pulp & popped a bag or two in to the freezer. 

To make the mousse I added a tbsp or so of the violet honey in to the defrosted guava pulp,

stirred in some cream & thick, creamy Greek yoghurt, soaked 2 tsps of gelatine in a little water for 5 minutes, dissolved the gelatine over gentle heat- stirred it in to the guava mixture & popped it in the fridge to set. That simple!

You can also find the violet syrup & cheesecake recipe here.

And the violet jelly & other cheesecake here.

Katie xx