Comments on: Lavender Rice Pudding

By: Kirsten

Kirsten — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 08:27:48 +0000

I have linked my blog http://www.thechocolaterucksack to this recipe as it ties in so well with my post about lavender.
Your recipe is delicious, thank you for sharing it with us.

By: Cenk

Cenk — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 08:51:24 +0000

Hi Joan, You do not need to go to a florist at all. You should be able to find dried lavender in the spice aisle of the supermarket. Lavender buds are sold in mini glass bottles just like black pepper. After a quick search, here is what I have found at Amazon (click here for link.) I hope this helps.

By: joan

joan — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 05:56:27 +0000

Hi Cenk!

I had rice pudding once with lavender and it was such a wonderful experience. I really want to make lavender rice pudding at home and I know this sounds silly but I was wondering what sort of lavender do I buy and where. Do I go to the florist? Or is there a specialized store that sells dried lavender?

Thank you!

By: Cenk

Cenk — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 15:43:47 +0000

Hi Valentina,
It makes me really happy when I hear that people try one of my recipes. I am glad to see that you were happy with the experience. Covering the pudding with cling film does protect the moisture. Thanks for mentioning my blog and your nice words at your post. By the way, your photos look amazing.

By: valentina

valentina — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 11:28:05 +0000

Hi Cenk, I made the rice pudding yesterday. The whole experience was wonderful. The scent of lavender always maeks me feel really relaxed, and quite happy to cook with it. I loved the fact that the taste of lavender was gentle and not overpowering. I just made a mistake in that my pudding cooked for a little bit too long as I had a phone call and i forgot to cover it with cling film when in the fridge. I think that yours was creamier – at least that ’s what I see from the picture. I have posted it at my blog.thanks again for the recipe and the experience. I want to look for more lavender recipes with milk.

By: Ozlen

Ozlen — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 16:44:11 +0000

Hey Cenk,

I reread your response and saw that I misunderstood you. Hah! I am totally shocked. You are the first person I know who does not prefer Inci’s profiterol. In July I have to try Baylan’s profiterol per your recommendation. Funny because Baylan is walking distance from my mom’s place in Moda. And never even thought about that. By the way Hacibekir across from Baylan has very good Aycoregi. That is a pastry I could not get right. I thought maybe the flour here is different.

Take care.

By: Cenk

Cenk — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 08:09:00 +0000

Hi Ozlen – I think you got me wrong… I have been to İnci before, but don’t like their profiterole as much as you do.. I absolutely go crazy over Kup Griye and I think their profiterole is the best. Maybe I should do an individual post about Baylan…

By: Ozlen

Ozlen — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 00:44:59 +0000

Hey Cenk..

You have never been to Inci? I am not sure if it is still there in that little hole on Istiklal Street but next time you are in Beyoglu please try it. I am an Anatolian Side girl myself so I discovered Inci much later when I was in college. Anyway it is famous as far as I know for it is excellent Profiterol. I have been to Baylan many times but never tried their profiterol. I have had profiterol at other places and found the choc. sauce to be almost bitter in taste which I did not care for. I think I am older than you so who knows maybe it is a new thing. When we were going there Baylan was famous with the “Kup Griye” – never figured outabout the name but the kup was delicious. Ohh I miss Istanbul so… Anyway thanks for the recipes. I am not sure when I will be able to try them. My husband is not a chocolate person at all so it has to be for company sometime..And the kids are too young yet. My son who is only 2 likes chocolate so far though.

I will let you know. You are welcome about the choc. offer. It would not be a problem at all. Take care,

By: Cenk

Cenk — Sun, 28 Jan 2007 23:45:45 +0000

Hi Ozlen – Thank you for your kind offer. Very generous of you, but I plan on a visit to US soon and plan to stock up for the rest of the year.

As for profiterole, I must start by saying that I am not a fan of Inci. I don’t recall the taste or texture of their chocolate sauce or cream, so my recommendation may not be on the spot… (btw, my favorite profiterole is Baylan’s – have you been there?).

Nowadays, for any chocolate dessert, my book of reference is Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Herme. Here’s the chocolate sauce recipe from the book:

Chocolate Sauce (recipe from Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Herme)Â

4 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (Valrhona Guanaja)
1 cup water
1/2 cup creme fraiche or heavy cream
1/3 cup sugar

Place all the ingredients in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until the sauce thickens very slightly and coats the back of the spoon. Be patient-this can take 10-15 minutes and shouldnâ€™t be rushed. Use immediately.

You’re saying it should not be a bittersweet chocolate sauce, but I haven’t experimented with a milk chocolate based sauce before, so no recommendations for that one (sorry).

As for the cream part, you might want to try the raspberry cream recipe from my Swan Raspberry Eclairs post – just skip the raspberry and food coloring.

Hope this helps! Let me know how they turn out, in case you decide to give them a try.

By: Ozlen

Ozlen — Sun, 28 Jan 2007 16:23:52 +0000

Hi Cenk..

So quick question for you. i had friends over for dinner last night and cooked a turkish dinner, nothin elaborate. for dessert, i made profiterol using a dr oetker mix i had at home.. That really made me think of Inci Profiterol. Although honestly I think Dr. Oetker package was not bad at all. I was wondering if you have a good profiterole recipe. I found something similar in my Julia Child baking book with Jacques Peppin. But I am specifically looking for the choc. sauce and the cream to go inside. And for the choc. ti is important that it is not a bitter choc. sauce.. Have you had Inci’s profiterol? I think it is divine.

Another thing, if you are still looking for Varlhona (sp) choc. there is a Trader Joe’s near where I live and I can buy and send you some if you want, just e mail me your address and I can get some next time I go shopping. They also sell Scharfer Berger there. Just a thought. It would not be a problem at all.

Take care,