Strawberry and wild rose petal pavlovas

Another flower recipe - what the hell, the summer months are quite a lean time for the forager, we might as well enjoy these fragile festoons along the hedgerows while we still can. Serves 4.

4 egg whites
200g Light muscovado sugar
1stp Cornflour
1tsp Rosehip vinegar
500g Strawberries
1tsp Rosewater
A few tablespoons of granulated sugar
A large handful of wild rose petals
A large pot of double cream, whipped

1 Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks; slowly whisk in the sugar, then the cornflour and vinegar. Spoon 4 meringues onto parchment covered baking sheets, bake for 1 hour and turn the oven off. Leave to cool.
2 Roughly chop 250g of the strawberries. Place in a pan with the granulated sugar, a splash of water and simmer for 10 minutes. When the strawberries have broken down, add the petals and rosewater. Keep on the heat for a further 5 minutes, then pass through a seive into a bowl.
3 Whisk the cream until thick. Take a few tablespoons of the strawberry syrup and fold into the cream, only briefly so that the syrup streaks the cream. Spoon the cream onto the meringue nests, then arrange chopped strawberries on top. Finish with and extra drizzle of syrup.

Violet and lime granita

This dessert is simple, refreshing and quick to make. Sharpness of lime adds spirit and a gentle, almost melancholy violet hue cools the scorched reds of a hot summer’s day. Perfect for an alfresco supper at dusk, or spooned into paper cups for the younglings.

2 Cups of Water

1 Cup of Violet sugar

Zest and juice of 4 Limes

Heat the water in a pan, add the sugar and stir to dissolve. Squeeze in the lime juice, then allow to cool. Strain, pour into a container and freeze overnight. To serve, scratch at the frozen surface with a fork and scoop into chilled glasses.

Birch sap and lemongrass syrup

As crisp Sunday mornings in early March go, additional layers would have been a benefit. A green woodpecker took exception to my presence in a small patch of heathland, flouncing off grumpily in a sinusoid of lime green across the heather tops. I'd had notions of a badger or suchlike stumbling into my carefully balanced bottle during the night, but all was well. Birch sap is at it's best during the first few weeks of March. It takes a bit of time to reduce to syrup but it's well worth it, the results boasting a subtle caramel flavour.

To tap a silver birch tree

Find a good sturdy birch, well off the beaten track. At a smooth point on trunk about two feet from the ground, drill a hole approximately 1.5" deep, at an upward angle. Sap should start to trickle out immediately; insert a thin piece of tubing into the hole. A large bottle or medium-sized demijohn, neck wedged over the tube, will collect the sap. It's by no means a spritely endeavor, so come back the next morning to collect. You’ll need look after the tree once you have finished with it; a piece of dowel wedged into the hole stops the flow of sap. I also cover the point with a bit of clay to create an extra seal.

Silver birch and lemongrass syrup

1 litre Fresh silver birch sap

2 tbsp granulated sugar

1 lemongrass, bashed about

Bring the birch sap to the boil and reduce by approximately nine tenths; this gets rid of most of the water and the sugary birch flavour intensifies. Stir in the sugar to dissolve. Add the lemongrass, removing after just a few minutes (the lemongrass notes are there to compliment, not usurp). Allow to cool before drizzling over fresh fruit.

Sweet violet scented sugar

Fortune cast me a favourable glance this afternoon. Trudging back along a muddy path towards the railway crossing, I stumbled across a patch of sweet violets huddled underneath two old chestnut trees. The small purple flowers were in abundance, so I felt guilt-free in confiscating a handful. I've yet to decide what to make with the sugar, but I'll keep you posted. Kind of feels like I need a bit of zesty lime in the equation somewhere...

Sweet violet scented sugar

A handful of sweet violet petals

Granulated sugar

Scatter a layer of violet petals at the bottom of a jar. Cover with sugar and repeat the

process, building up petal/sugar layers until the jar is full. Leave for about a week,

then remove the violets.