Rose & pistachio nougat

I always stop to smell the roses.

My husband and I, weather permitting, occasionally walk around our neighbourhood to get some fresh air and sunshine. What I love most about these walks (apart from being with my husband, naturally) is the opportunity to smell the dozens of roses growing in people's gardens. There is one house in particular that, with the right breeze, I can smell a block away. The front yard has more roses than blades of grass. The petals beam with every shade of a sunrise and sunset, but to me, the ones that stand out the most, are the blood-red beauties. All operatic in their dramatic shade. Simply breathtaking.

Roses are a triple win for me - they are beautiful to look at, lovely to smell and sublime to eat. I adore rose perfumed foods, they are so heady and intoxicating with their aromatic flavour.

I had excess egg whites (as you do) to use so I searched for a nougat recipe. The minute I found a rose flavoured one my search was over.

ease: 4.5/5.
prep time: 20mins.
cooking time: 3hours setting time.
total: 3 hours & 20mins.


taste: 4/5. As soft and delicate as a floral breeze.

These looked so adorable and sweet and they tasted the same. I used 1tbs and 1tsp rose water rather than rose petals as I wanted the perfume but not the petal. After the saccharine honeyed sweetness the rose came through like a soft whisper and lingered until the crunchy pistachios finished the bite. This nougat wasn't as firm as store bought, the texture was more akin to a fudge which I didn't mind, but I do prefer the chewier kind.

I became addicted to these, and due to their extraordinarily high sugar content, I almost sent myself into a sugar coma. Hubby could only manage half a square at a time.

would I make it again: No - simply because I do not want the sugary temptation - but then again it would make a nice gift...

recipe: Rose petal & pistachio nougat