Sweet Violet Marshmallow

What could lift our spirits more than sweet violet marshmallows, right at the end of winter!

Every year I make violet honey syrup. I would never be without it now as it takes care of almost every sore throat or cough that ever comes our way and tastes delicious.

I've made the syrup already and I was wondering what else I could do with some violets when I thought of marshmallow made with honey.

So here's what I did today: I simply picked a packed cupful of sweet violets (Viola odorata)- the scented ones. Any colour will do. I rinsed the flowers briefly as there is an abundance of pine pollen around at the moment. 

Put the flowers in a small jug and pour over them a cupful of just boiled water- pop a plate over the top and leave them to infuse for around an hour until the colours almost gone out of them. 

Meantime line a small tin with greaseproof paper- hang some over the edge so that it's easy to remove the marshmallow.

Strain the violet liquid in to a pot, add 3 tbsp of a good gelatine and leave it to bloom for a few minutes.

Heat gently (stirring) to dissolve the gelatine.

Then add the juice of a lemon & 1/2 cup of honey and stir to dissolve.

You'll notice the amazing colour transitions of the violet water as you add various things. 

I added 1 tsp of blackcurrant powder to make sure there was enough colour- stir again.

You could use an electric beater, but I don't own one as I love my vintage hand beater.

Beat the mixture until it is pale & fluffy and starting to get really hard to keep going.

Quickly pour in to the container and it will set with in minutes.

Cut with a large knife or scissors when set and roll in fine coconut with a little more blackcurrant (or other) powder rubbed through it and you're done.

The marshmallow is fine kept in a sealed container sitting on the bench.

Next time I think I might try a mix like elderberry. blackberry and violet- delicious and a fabulously easy to take immune support combo. 

More Violets- Simple Syrup & Cheesecake

Violets are amazing- they turn up in the depths of winter and provide such a wonderful lift through the coldest months with their glorious scent, sweet little flowers and their gentle medicine. Last week I popped in to the valley at Keirunga gardens to visit the wild violets under the oak trees and gathered a little basketful of sweetly scented blooms.

 I tried another recipe for making violet syrup this time round. It was so simple and so much fun.

Put 2 cups of violet flowers in to a bowl or jug & pour over them 2 cups of just boiled water.

Cover & let the violets steep for around half an hour.

After this time the colour will have drained from the flowers & the liquid will have become a gorgeous colour. Violet water is highly ph sensitive so your violet "tea" will alter in shade depending on what water you use and what else you add to the syrup.

 The little jug on the left is just the infused water, the one on the right has had a few drops of lemon juice added to it. 

Strain when you're ready & while the liquid is still warm stir in a tbsp of honey (to taste). This violet "syrup can now be stored in the fridge for a week or so, but I wanted to use the syrup so I made a cheesecake. 

I used my trusty base of 1/3 cup each of broken cashews, walnut pieces and coconut, 

add 4 or 5 soft dates (remove the stones first) 

Add a tbsp of melted coconut oil and briefly combine in a food processor until mixed to a fine crumb. Press in to a greased springform tin. I used two small tins.

The middle layer is so simple and tastes quite a lot like milk bottle lollies.

Gently warm a tin of coconut milk in a small pot until the fats have melted. Cool, pour most of the milk in to a bowl. Add 1 tsp vanilla essence, and a tbsp of honey and stir to dissolve. 

Add 2 tsps of gelatine to the remaining 1/2 cup of coconut milk in the pot. Stand a few minutes and allow to bloom. Then heat gently, stirring to dissolve the gelatine. Mix the two lots together in the bowl and pop in to the fridge. 

Now go through the same process for the violet syrup. Add some more lemon juice to the syrup if you like as it enhances the flavour of the violets. Pour a little of the cooled violet syrup in to a bowl and sprinkle over 2 tsps of gelatine. Allow to bloom. Heat for 30 seconds in the microwave, or in a small pot. Stir to dissolve. Cool- add back in to the main syrup and stir well. 

Now pour the coconut mixture over the base and return to the fridge.

When the mixture is just set, pour over the violet jelly very gently.

Chill for several hours or overnight until well set.

For a firmer jelly add an extra 1/2 tsp of gelatine to each layer.

 It seems like a strange thing to do- head to the river for a picnic in winter, but honestly winter picnics are wonderful! This is one of our favourite spots up Ellis Wallace road alongside the Esk river. In under the hawthorn bushes there can be found a carpet of wild violets.

The spring flowers were gathered at Pandora Pond on our journey here- we mostly picked the ones with broken or bent stems that would otherwise have been wasted.

  I even found a little patch of white violets on this visit- perfect for the top of our little cheesecake.

 I made a decoction of Silver Linden flowers and bracts (simmered for 15 minutes with half a cinnamon stick) and short brewed Sagewood and Elderflower tea. Such a glorious fragrant combination that was perfect for sipping in the outdoors...

while eating such a delicious and delicate treat.

More about using violets just here.

And the recipe for violet honey cough syrup here.

Katie X

Glorious Sweet Violet Jelly & Cheesecake

It may seem a bit odd- a whole lot of pictures of flowers in a food blog, but truly it is not. I've come to believe that the presence of violets in the landscape redeems winter beautifully, not to mention that they are the loveliest of medicines. I have posted here about making violet honey syrup- a resource we would now never be without. We have both been irritated by the abundant drenching of the whole province with pine pollen over the last month & heavily relied on the violet honey syrup to get us through the night. It is amazing for soothing a cough- instantly! 

There are several places that we know we can gather wild violets locally: Ellis Wallace road, Keirunga valley- under the oaks & at the top of the Karituwhenua walkway off Te Mata road in Havelock North 

 If you are picking for making violet syrup it's quicker to pull the flowers rather making a bunch of them.

 Every part of the gathering process is a joy- the heady fragrance,

 the visit to the land & the blessing that the plants offer as we gather them with so much respect & gratitude.

And of course, you may find other treasures along the way.

 Violets come in so many pretty hues- all are valuable.

 As long as you have a good proportion of purple the colour comes out much the same.

The syrup, once made, is best stored in small jars in the freezer, but since Rob still had a particularly niggly cough I thought that little jellies might be useful. Useful- they are amazing! 

 I simply set the syrup with a good amount of gelatine. Left uncovered in a little dish in the fridge it lasts for ages or until it disappears!

 After making the violet jelly I wondered what a little cheesecake might be like.
I decided to use a simple base of soft dates & nuts- a mix of flaked almonds, cashews & home shelled walnuts. Didn't take long to come together in my little food processor. I used quite a few dates so I didn't need to add any other sweetening. I added the juice of half a lemon & a tbsp of melted coconut oil & it set to a lovely texture.

 I used a 400ml jar of Raglan blackcurrant & vanilla coconut yoghurt as the middle layer, set with a large dsp of gelatine dissolved in a little juice or water. It's a good idea to mix in some yoghurt  to the gelatine before adding to the rest. Mine started to set too quickly in the cold yoghurt.

The violet honey syrup was also set with a lovely organic gelatine in the same way.

The flavours are just delicious together.

It's amazing how many edible winter flowers that there are- violets, grape hyacinths, forget-me-nots, jasmine & sweet alyssum look lovely with the violet cheesecake.

The other winter flower that is just delicious & works nicely with violets & lemon (or lime) to make an amazing natural fizzy drink is magnolia. You can find how to make Fee just here. 

Love Katie xx

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