Ring in spring by adding some flower power to your plate. Food writer Libby Kimber brings you two recipes using blooms that are both edible and adorable.

Rose pistachio custard tart

Rose jelly

• 4 raspberries
• 1 1/2 Tbsp caster sugar
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 3 tsp powdered gelatine
• 2 tsp rosewater

Method

1. To make the pistachio base, process pistachios to fine crumbs. Add flour and icing sugar and process to combine. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Gradually add enough water until dough just comes together. Shape into a disc, wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Lightly grease a 23cm round, 4cm deep tart pan with removable base. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to a 4mm thick round. Line pan with pastry and trim edges. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 180°C. Blind bake pastry case for 20 minutes, then bake uncovered for 15 minutes, until golden and crisp. Cool.
4. To make the custard, place milk and vanilla bean paste in a saucepan and bring almost to boiling point. In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar until pale and thick. Whisk in flours. Gradually whisk in warm milk mixture. Return to saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until custard boils and thickens. Simmer, stirring, for 2 minutes. Pour into pastry case and smooth surface. Chill for 2 hours or until cold and firm to the touch.
5. To make the rose jelly, process raspberries, sugar and water together until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve. Sprinkle gelatine over 2 tablespoons of just boiled water, whisking with a fork to dissolve. Whisk into raspberry mixture with rosewater. Pour over custard layer and chill for 2 hours, or until set firm. Decorate top of tart with extra chopped pistachios and rose petals.

Recipe by Australian Eggs as featured on myfoodbook.com.au

Island smoothie

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp desiccated coconut (optional)
• 1 tsp pure maple syrup (optional)
• 100g frozen pink dragon fruit (see Tip)
• 100g papaya, cut into cubes and frozen
• 1 banana, roughly sliced and frozen
• 1 Tbsp cashew butter
• 125ml (1/2 cup) coconut milk
• 135g (1 cup) ice cubes
• 2cm piece of ginger (optional)
• Dried edible flowers, to serve (optional)

Method

If you would like to decorate the rim of your glasses, place the coconut on a plate. Using your finger, rub the maple syrup around the rims of the glasses, then turn them upside down and dip the rims into the coconut.

Place the remaining ingredients except the edible flowers (if using) in a blender and blend until smooth.

Pour into the prepared glasses and scatter a few edible flowers over the top, if desired.

Tip: Some supermarkets and health food stores sell packets of frozen dragon fruit cubes. Look for them near the sachets of frozen acai and berries.

Photography by Ellie Bullen.

Dark chocolate rose brownies

Serves: 9

Ingredients

• ½ cup Medjool dates, pitted
• 2 Tbsp Mayver’s unhulled tahini
• 425g can black beans, drained and rinsed well
• ½ cup quinoa flakes
• ½ cup rice malt syrup
• 2 drops food-grade rose essential oil
• ½ cup almond meal
• ¼ cup dutch pressed cacao
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ tsp gluten- and aluminium-free baking powder
• 50g vegan 80-90% dark chocolate, chopped into rough pieces
• Desiccated coconut
• Edible rose petals

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Place black beans, dates, rice malt, Mayver’s tahini and rose oil in a food processor, blending until very smooth. Add almond meal, cacao, baking powder and salt, and blend again until uniform. Transfer to a bowl, stirring in chocolate chips.
3. Pour into a 10-inch square tin lined with baking paper and cook for 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and stand for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
4. Decorate with powdered coconut and edible rose petals. To powder coconut, simply add desiccated coconut to a coffee grinder and blend on high, until a powdered consistency has formed.

Recipe by Panaceas Pantry [@panaceas_pantry] for Mayver’s.

Chia pudding with summer fruits

Serves: 12

Cook: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1L (4 cups) coconut cream
• 150g caster sugar
• 250g chia seeds
• 100g raspberries
• 100g blueberries
• 50g strawberries
• 150g mango, sliced and diced
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp sugar syrup
• Zest of 1 lime

To garnish

• Nasturtium leaves
• 1 Tbsp roasted coconut chips
• Edible flowers

Method

1. Bring the coconut cream and sugar to the boil, then remove from the heat. Add the chia seeds and stir constantly until slightly cooled and thickened.
2. Spoon into martini glasses filling to halfway and store in the fridge. (They will keep for a couple of days.)
3. Mix the fruit gently with the olive oil, sugar syrup and lime zest.
4. To serve, top the chia pudding with some of the fruit and garnish with nasturtium leaves, coconut chips and edible flowers.

Cherry on the lake

Ingredients

• 45ml Underground Spirits lakeside gin (available exclusively at Floriade)
• 15ml maraschino liqueur
• 10ml lemon juice
• 1 tsp cherry jam
• 5 mint leaves
• 1 hibiscus flower
• 30 (or 60ml) soda

Method

1. Shake all ingredients with ice; double strain in to a cocktail glass.
2. Top up with 30ml soda water.
3. Garnish with a mint leaf and a hibiscus flower or a cherry.

Recipe and image courtesy of Underground Spirits | undergroundspirits.com.au

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