Can you have a breakfast that is both hearty and dainty? YES. It's called Rose Petal Porridge.
Inspired by the Rose Porridge Bowl at Brown & Rosie in the Kensington area of London, this oatmeal is a satisfying combination of steel-cut oats and rose-infused almond milk topped with toasted almonds, berries, and edible rose buds.
Yes, I said edible rose buds. Roses are edible, but you want to be sure to buy the food-grade variety rather than dried roses for other uses.
If you've watched Top Chef or the Great British Baking Show, you know that rose flavor can be overpowering. This recipe has just a hint of rose; it does not taste like perfume.
What's the difference between porridge and oatmeal?
When I think of porridge, my mind goes to nursery rhymes or stories from the 1800s. In the US, you rarely hear people talk about porridge, but when we visited the UK, it was on many a breakfast menu.
Porridge can be made from any grain, while oatmeal is made from, you guessed it, oats! When porridge is made from oats, it's typically made with steel-cut oats, not the flattened, cut oats we're used to seeing.
In my very limited porridge experience, porridge has more liquid at the end of cooking than oatmeal. That's primarily because once the porridge is cooked, it's often topped with milk or cream.
I like McCann's Steel Cut Irish Oatmeal. It comes in a cool can, and the quality is A+. My regular grocery store carries it.
The Rose Petal Porridge is lightly sweetened with date syrup. I've purchased this from Amazon, Whole Foods, and Trader Joe's, but now my regular grocery store has it in stock. I love that it's easier to find now.
PS: try these other recipes using date syrup once you buy it. Mark also likes a couple of drops in his espresso.
- copycat Trader Joe's cocoa chile spiced pecans
- vanilla sunflower butter
- coconut-sunflower seed energy balls
Let's make Rose Petal Porridge!
Start cooking the oats. Steel-cut oats take about 30 minutes to cook, not 5 minutes like rolled oats.
While those are cooking, make the rose-infused almond milk. (I usually use this brand of unsweetened almond-coconut milk, but any almond milk will work beautifully.) Add rose buds to the milk, heat until steaming, then let the rose petals infuse the milk while the oats cook away.
Dollop the oats into a bowl. This makes for one large portion. Top with date syrup.
Add the strained rose milk. Look at that pretty dusty blush rose color of the infused milk!
Top with berries...
...then the almond and rose buds and petals. Tiny buds can be added whole; crush larger buds to scatter petal pieces.
Rose Petal Porridge
(serves 1)
1-2 tablespoons slivered almonds
2 cups water
pinch fine sea salt
1/2 cup steel-cut oats
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (I like this Blue Diamond Almond/Coconut Milk)
2 tablespoons edible rose buds
date syrup
sliced strawberries
frozen blueberries, defrosted
edible rose buds
Toast almonds in a small saucepan, tossing frequently, until lightly golden and fragrant. Remove from pan and wipe pan clean.
In the same saucepan, heat water and salt to boiling. Sprinkle in oats, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, heat almond milk and 2 tablespoons rose buds over medium-low heat to steaming. Reduce heat to low and continue to heat milk for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let the rose petals steep.
Once the oats have cooked for 30 minutes, remove from heat and let them sit for 2 minutes. Stir, then dollop into a bowl.
Top with date syrup, strained rose milk, berries, and almond. Scatter a few tiny whole rose buds on top and crush another to scatter petal pieces across. Serve warm!
Rose Petal Porridge is like a hug in a bowl! I not only eat this for breakfast but for a comforting lunch as well! Enjoy!
