Honey-nut roses

It looked enchanting, nothing like anything he had seen in the typically cold mountains. The treat resembled a flowering rose, possibly the thorny, but fragrant one, they often saw during the walks to the high lake. The bud inside had some sort of seeds, which he could not identify. Not flax... flax was much darker. When smelled, the flower reminded him of autumn evenings, the fragrance of hazelnuts and honey.

— Hithean encountering teh honey-nut rose for the first time

Honey-nut rose is a treat prepared by the loved ones for the loved ones. Sometimes for the occassion of the summer solstice festival, sometimes without any special occassion, for the simple act of endulgment.

Honey-nut roses by Angantyr

Ingredients

2 dórlach of hazelnuts

1 dórlach of walnuts

salt

honey

edible seeds, e.g., flax, nigella, jewelweed

rose petals

Dry hazelnuts in the oven until brown and the skins dry and fall off easily, then cool until they become warm to the touch. Put on a cloth and fold it inside, then rub off the dry husks. Crush the hazelnuts in a mortar to a coarse grain and set aside. Chop walnuts into a slightly coarser grain and do not worry if they come off uneven. In a aonghèadh pour about a third part of honey. If it is crystallized heat it gently but be careful not to darken it. Add the nuts and a generous pinch or two of salt, then fold together. Let it rest until the nuts dehydrate the honey, preferably for a day. Take small portions, about half the size of the walnut and form balls. Dip one end in the seeds and stick in the rose petals. Fresh petals are more fragrant but can be difficult to attach. To ease the process it is recommended to leave them for a while to lose some moisture to increase flexibility.

Variations

Honey-nut roses are very popular in summer but have a great number of varieties, depending on the accessibility of ingredients, predominantly flowers and honey. While all fragrant flower petals work, poppy petals are extremely popular for their vivid colours combined with the ease of attaching several layers on a single ball. Similarly, honey is substituted with other sweet and thick substances, e.g., barley malt syrup, grape juice syrup or crushed dried fruit, e.g., plums.