Ingredients:

(made 2 small ramekins of mousse)

1. 1 cup plain, yogurt [Or Greek style yogurt- skip the draining if you are using this]

2.  A generous Pinch of Saffron

3.  2 tbsp of Rose Petal Honey (Recipe below)[ may be substituted with sugar, or any natural sweeteners. The honey is  used here to keep the flavor of the rose consistent] – use more or less to taste

4. About 6 Tablespoons of Low Fat Milk

5. 1 Tablespoon chopped Organic Rose Petals – Can use more if you want

6.  A little less than 1/2 Teaspoon of Unflavored Gelatin

7. Vegetable oil to very lightly grease the ramekins

8.  More Rose Petals & Slivered Almonds for Garnish(Optional)

For the Honey:

1. 1/2 Cup Honey

2. 1/4 Cup Loosely packed Organic Rose Petals of any fragrant rose

Preparation:

To Prepare the Honey:

Wash the rose petals. Dry them lightly .. pat with paper towels. Lightly fill a jar ( I used a small bowl, since I made in real small amount), & pour the honey over it. Let it stand for a few days to a couple of weeks. It gets more fragrant with time.

Preparing the Mousse:

Drain yogurt in a paper-towel-lined/or cheese cloth sieve.  Press and stir with a large spoon & then leave to drain.  Put the bowl in refrigerator. After 10 -12 hours the liquid will have strained through enough that the yogurt in sieve & the yogurt will be thick and creamy. (even better if drained overnight/24 hrs) – The draining step may be skipped if you are using the thick Greek Style Yogurt. Transfer to a clean bowl. Whisk it well in the bowl to make it fluffy & airy. Gently crush the saffron threads between your fingers.  Blend it in with the yogurt.  Set aside & let it sit for a couple of hours for the flavor of the saffron to be infused.  The Yogurt will take on the light yellow color from the saffron.

Sprinkle gelatin over 1 Tablespoon water in a small bowl and let stand 1 minute to soften.  Heat the milk in the microwave for about 40 seconds or till almost boiling hot.  Stir gelatin until dissolved & there are no lumps. Mix yogurt, rose petals & honey. Mix a little yogurt into gelatin and then mix the gelatin into the rest of the yogurt, stirring constantly to avoid lumps.  Whisk them together well again to blend & fluff.

Line the Ramekins with vegetable oil. You can line them with a few rose petals if you want.  Spoon the yogurt mix in to the ramekins. Cover & put them in a refrigerator and chill until it sets.

To Assemble:

Before serving place a plate over the ramekin, turn it over & tap the ramekin lightly for it to come out. Drizzle some rose petal honey on the mousse & serve chilled.

A small note about the recipe here: The  gelatine is used to mould them (& hence the mousse). It tastes as good without the gelatin. The yogurt is thick & very creamy. It is a wonderful dessert treat with the saffron & the fragrant rose petal honey .. to be just scooped out with a spoon. Without the use of Gelatin, it is the traditional Indian Shrikhand.