Five Tasty Treats Made with Flowers

Summer is the perfect time for these flower inspired treats. Try your hand at some of our favorites!

Hibiscus and Mint Lemonade

Ingredients

4 bags hibiscus tea (such as Celestial Seasonings Red Zinger)

2 cups fresh mint leaves, plus sprigs for serving

2 1/2 cups store-bought lemonade or Classic Lemonade

Directions

In a small saucepan, steep the tea and mint in 2 cups boiling water, using a wooden spoon to gently mash the mint; let cool. Discard the tea bags and mint. In a pitcher, combine the tea and lemonade. Serve over ice and garnish with the mint sprigs.

Yogurt Honey Jelly with Strawberries and Roses

Ingredients

1envelope (1/4 oz.) powdered gelatin

1/2 cupheavy whipping cream

1/2 teaspoonvanilla

4 tablespoonshoney, or to taste

Pinch of salt

1 1/2 cupsplain Greek yogurt

1 cuphulled strawberries, sliced lengthwise

1 tablespoonsugar

1/2 teaspoonrose water

1/4 cuprose petals

Directions

1. Put gelatin and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan and let soften for a few minutes. Meanwhile, pour cream and vanilla into a medium bowl and use an electric mixer to whip the mixture into soft peaks.

2. Heat gelatin mixture gently over low heat until gelatin dissolves completely. Stir in honey and salt; remove from heat.

3. Whisk yogurt in a medium bowl. Whisk some yogurt into gelatin-honey mixture; then whisk that mixture into rest of yogurt. Fold whipped cream into yogurt mixture and pour into a 6-in. cake pan. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until set, at least 1 hour.

4. Combine strawberries, sugar, and rose water in a small bowl and mix gently. (If you'd like a bit of syrup, let mixture sit for 20 to 30 minutes before serving.)

5. To unmold, dip underside of cake pan in a large bowl of hot water for a minute or so. Remove from water and set a serving plate face down on top. Holding plate in place, quickly invert cake pan to release jelly (tap pan if necessary). Top with strawberries and rose petals.

Blossom Tisane

Ingredients

About 10 fresh chamomile flowers

About 10 fresh feverfew flowers

About 20 individual buds from a fresh lavender blossom

Directions

Put flowers into a heatproof pot. Pour about 1 cup hot water over flowers. Steep 3 to 4 minutes. Pour tea into a mug, straining it if you like. Flowers will wilt as they stand.

Strawberry-Rose Cupcakes

Ingredients

1 cupbutter, at room temperature

1 1/4 cups sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cupbuttermilk

2 1/2 cupsflour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup strawberry jam

1 1/2to 2 tsp. rose water*

2 1/2 cups small rose petals (organically grown)

Your favorite frosting

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Line 16 muffin cups with liners. Beat butter and sugar with a stand mixer until creamy. Add eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk; beat until well blended.

2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Gradually beat into butter mixture until well blended.

3. Whisk together jam and rose water to taste in a small bowl. Spread 2 heaping tbsp. batter in each liner. Top with 1 tsp. jam mixture, then another 2 heaping tbsp. batter, carefully spreading it to cover jam.

4. Bake cupcakes until a toothpick inserted toward the edge comes out clean, 25 to 27 minutes. Let cool in pans 5 minutes then transfer to racks to cool completely. Spread with frosting and decorate with rose petals.

Sunset Palmer

Ingredients

2 stalks fresh lemongrass, ends trimmed, chopped

1/2 cupeach fresh lemon verbena* and lemon balm leaves*, plus lemon verbena for garnish

Zest of 1 lemon

1 tablespoonsugar

1 cupbrewed black tea, such as English breakfast, cooled

Directions

1. Put lemongrass, lemon verbena, lemon balm, and zest in a heatproof container. Pour 2 cups boiling water over herbs and steep 20 minutes. Strain, then stir in sugar.

2. Divide liquid between 2 ice-filled glasses. Top each with about 1/2 cup black tea. Garnish with lemon verbena leaves.

*Grow your own lemon verbena and lemon balm, or look for them at a farmers' market