Copy LinkFloral flavor is on the menu this spring! Here’s how to mix up your ice cream game with some scoop-tastic flower pairings!
Ice cream isn’t just a treat for the hot summer afternoons – it’s also a great way to welcome spring! Especially when you pair it with spring’s favorite flowers. It might sound odd at first but floral notes make for excellent additions to sweet treats! In fact, did you know that many cultures use edible flowers in their cooking? Ancient Romans added violet and rose petals to their salads, while the Mesoamericans and ancient Chinese used edible flowers in both dishes and medicine.
In the spirit of spring, we’re diving into some of our top flower and ice cream combinations to refresh your taste buds!
Lavender Honey Ice Cream
Lavender has a rich culinary history that spans the Asian and European continents. Starting with its popularity in Ancient Egyptian and Roman kitchens, Lavender eventually found its way into medieval Europe through sugar and vinegar infusions. Its delicate floral notes are super calming and pair well with the soft, fruity sweetness of honey. Try a bite and feel all your worries melt away like ice cream on a hot afternoon. If you’re looking for a stress-free spring, this is the flower and ice cream combination for you!
Rose Petal Raspberry Ice cream
If you’ve ever tried Turkish Delight, you’ll understand the allure of rose on your palate! Now popular as a universal symbol of love, this flower has been used for centuries in Mediterranean culinary traditions. Its use can be traced back to the Persian empire, which steamed rose petals to extract oil and left rose-infused water as a by-product! Our rosy recommendation is to combine rose and raspberries for a perfect blend of sweet and tart ice cream, which you can enjoy in a few ways.
For a subtler treat, try raspberry ice cream sprinkled with real rose petals mixed right in. If you’re feeling a bit more floral, go for rose-petal-infused ice cream with juicy raspberries on top!
Jasmine Green Tea Ice Cream
This flavor combination is super popular across East and Southeast Asia – and for good reason! This spring combination is like a breath of fresh air, with cool notes that evoke spring’s beauty. The simplest way to enjoy this classy combination is with a scoop of green tea ice cream drizzled with a sweet, jasmine-infused syrup. It’s a harmony of flavors where the floral jasmine notes and sweetness of the syrup balance perfectly with green tea’s earthy flavor. For something stronger, however, you’ll want a fully jasmine green tea-infused ice cream. Either way, both options offer a perfect balance between the fragrant jasmine and the earthy tones of green tea!
Elderflower & Lemon Ice Cream
Citrus lovers can definitely unite behind this mellow mixture! Elderflower is a delicate white flower with a flavor profile that brings a refreshing brightness to every scoop, which pairs perfectly with zesty notes like lemon. The first recorded recipe with elderflowers is dated almost 1,900 years ago. Across Europe and South Asia you can find the Elderflower infused in alcohol, jams and even fried in fritters!
Somewhat reminiscent of a robust earl gray tea, you can try this combination with lemon sorbet topped with elderflower syrup – but for a stronger bite, we recommend having both flavors infused in a full ice cream scoop. Both capture the spirit of spring, blending hinted floral notes with the crisp, clean taste of lemon – perfect for the sunny days to come!
Saffron & Pistachio Ice Cream
Well-known as the most expensive spice on earth, saffron is derived from dried ‘threads’ hand-harvested from the saffron crocus flower. Each flower holds only three threads, and a whopping 150 flowers are needed for just one gram of saffron! This spice lends a gorgeous golden hue to any dish, and is earthy with bittersweet overtones. This flavor profile makes it perfect to pair with the nutty pistachios.
Saffron and Pistachio are a true indulgent flavor combination reserved for special occasions. We recommend scooping some sticky Turkish-style pistachio ice cream, like dondurma, and adding a dash of saffron spice powder as garnish. If you’re feeling adventurous this spring, you should look for our favorite Persian ice cream called bastani sonnati. It is a creamy treat flavored with saffron, pistachio and rose water!
Play Around With Spring Flavors!
Spring isn’t just about stopping to smell the flowers – it’s a chance to enjoy them with the world’s favorite dessert! These flower and ice cream combos are just the beginning of the flavor journey you can take. As the flowers bloom and the days grow longer, let’s embrace the joy of experimenting with ice cream flavors. Try these out, tag us in your pictures of them and be on the lookout for part 2!
Do you have a favorite ice cream pairing? Send us your favorite ice cream pairing on Instagram! You might see it in a future post as we continue to share fun ways to experiment with your favorite ice cream flavors.
