Saffron, the world's most precious spice, has been treasured from the remotest times. It is native to Near East and believed to be first appeared in Crete. Saffron has been cultivated for thousands of years.
The small fall-flowering crocus grows well in warm climates. It has thin long leaves and ornamental fragrant deep lavender, purple-veined flowers These flowers bloom for only two or three weeks in autumn. The flower contains three precious protruding yellow-orange to scarlet stigmas and adjacent part of the style yield the saffron. The intensive colour is caused by pigments of carotenoid type. These must be carefully hand-picked and then dried. Saffron is strongly perfumed, with very intensive earthy fragrant, reminiscent to iodoform but much more pleasant honey aroma. It has a unique pungent, slightly bitter-honey taste.
When I was pregnant, I used to drink milk with saffron. Its just incredible how only a tiny little pinch of saffron could transform the milk into a heavenly tasting beverage. I thought why not turn this concoction from something that I could drink to something that I could eat. Thus, came up with this.......
Saffron Milk Jelly
What do we need:
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
3 tsp agar-agar powder
a generous pinch of saffron
How do we do it:
Mix saffron and milk. Set aside for at least 30 minutes for the saffron to steep.
Combine agar-agar powder, sugar and water and cook over low heat until the sugar dissolve. Pour in milk together with the saffron strands. Bring to a boil.
Pour the jelly mixture into a mould or little moulds. Chill the jelly until well set.
To ease unmoulding of the jelly, ensure that the moulds are wet before pouring the jelly mixture.
The Saffron Milk Jelly was lovely. Hubby′s verdict: "Sehr gut!", which means "very good". This is what I am going to submit for the Think Spice event at Sunita′s World.
The small fall-flowering crocus grows well in warm climates. It has thin long leaves and ornamental fragrant deep lavender, purple-veined flowers These flowers bloom for only two or three weeks in autumn. The flower contains three precious protruding yellow-orange to scarlet stigmas and adjacent part of the style yield the saffron. The intensive colour is caused by pigments of carotenoid type. These must be carefully hand-picked and then dried. Saffron is strongly perfumed, with very intensive earthy fragrant, reminiscent to iodoform but much more pleasant honey aroma. It has a unique pungent, slightly bitter-honey taste.
When I was pregnant, I used to drink milk with saffron. Its just incredible how only a tiny little pinch of saffron could transform the milk into a heavenly tasting beverage. I thought why not turn this concoction from something that I could drink to something that I could eat. Thus, came up with this.......
Saffron Milk Jelly
What do we need:
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
3 tsp agar-agar powder
a generous pinch of saffron
How do we do it:
Mix saffron and milk. Set aside for at least 30 minutes for the saffron to steep.
Combine agar-agar powder, sugar and water and cook over low heat until the sugar dissolve. Pour in milk together with the saffron strands. Bring to a boil.
Pour the jelly mixture into a mould or little moulds. Chill the jelly until well set.
To ease unmoulding of the jelly, ensure that the moulds are wet before pouring the jelly mixture.
The Saffron Milk Jelly was lovely. Hubby′s verdict: "Sehr gut!", which means "very good". This is what I am going to submit for the Think Spice event at Sunita′s World.
