Skip to main content

Summer is here and Ramzan is around the corner; we can already feel the insatiable thirst we’re about to feel in the scorching heat. While it is good that majority of us are locked indoors due to the pandemic, it is still a hot and humid time of the year when cool drinks and refreshing desserts are always welcome, more so for iftars. Rooh Afza is a quintessential Pakistani drink, which is a staple in every household, so at such a time when you cannot go for shopping at every whim and indulge in every craving, let’s just use the sweet red syrup creatively!

Here are 3 easy to make but delicious recipes made with Rooh Afza:

 

Rose Custard Cream Cookies

 

Rooh Afza

 

Ingredients:

225g plain flour

50g custard powder

30g icing sugar

170g butter, cold and cubed

½ tsp vanilla essence

For the filling:

40g butter

1 ½ tsp Rooh Afza

120g icing sugar

2 tbsp custard powder

Lemon zest for sprinkling

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 °C.

2. For the biscuits: Combine the flour, custard powder and sugar. Lightly and quickly, rub in the butter until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add the vanilla essence and bring together using your hands. If the mixture seems too dry, wet your hands a little and knead to form a dough.

3. Wrap the dough in cling film and allow to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, whip together all the ingredients for the filling. Set aside in a cool place.

5. On a floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to about 3-4mm in thickness. Use a round cutter to cut out the dough. Place the discs on a lined baking tray and allow to rest in the fridge for 20 minutes.

6. Make a few holes in the top of the biscuit dough to prevent it from rising. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 12-14 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

6. Take small amounts of the filling and roll into balls. Sandwich the biscuits with the balls of Rooh Afza filling and a hint of lemon zest, pressing gently and being very careful not to break them.

 

Strawberry Rose Souffle

 

 

Ingredients:

Base

4 containers of fresh strawberries

125g caster sugar

4 tsp corn flour

Water

Souffle mix

10 egg whites (room temperature)

Pinch of salt

1 tsp Rooh Afza

100g caster sugar

200g butter, softened, enough to grease the moulds

100g caster sugar, enough to coat the moulds

Icing sugar, for dusting

Creme anglaise or ice cream, to serve

Method:

1. Puree the strawberries in a blender and press through a fine sieve. Add enough water to make 500 milliliters of puree.

2. To make the base, place the strawberry puree and sugar in a saucepan over a medium heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar and bring to the boil. Mix the corn flour with just enough water to make a smooth paste. Once the fruit puree reaches boiling point, reduce the heat to low and whisk the corn flour paste into the fruit puree a little at a time. Whisk for 1 minute and do not allow mixture to boil again. Remove from the heat and set aside. Chill to cool completely.

3. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

4. Place the egg whites into a very clean, very large mixing bowl, add salt and beat at high speed until soft peaks form. Add sugar, a little at a time, and beat until stiff peaks form. Do not over whisk or the egg whites will break down and be unable to hold the air required to life the souffle.

5. Place the fruit puree base into a very large bowl and whisk until smooth. Add a little of the egg white mixture and stir in to loosen the consistency. Gently fold in the remaining egg white and Rooh Afza.

6. Brush the bases of 6 1-cup capacity ramekins with the softened butter, then, using upward strokes (this is very important), brush the sides. Chill in the refrigerator until set, and then repeat. Sprinkle in a little of the caster sugar, turning the ramekins to coat the base and sides. To fill the moulds, use a palette knife to spread the souffle mixture around the sides while holding the ramekin at a 45-degree angle. Fill the middle and smooth top top, without allowing any mixture to stick to the rim or run over the sides.

7. Place in the oven and bake for 12-14 minutes or until golden and well risen. Serve immediately dusted with icing sugar, and with creme anglaise or ice cream on the side, if you like.

 

Watermelon & Roof Afza Popsicles

 

 

Ingredients:

1½ cups seedless watermelon

¼ cup Rooh Afza

½ tsp basil seeds

½ cup water

Method: 

1. Soak the basil seeds in water for about 30 minutes till they double in size.

2. Blend the watermelon and Rooh Afza.

3. Drain the water off the seeds and add it to the watermelon mixture.

4. Add this watermelon puree into your desired popsicle mold and freeze for approximately four hours before serving.

 

Try these recipes at home and let us know which one you liked the most?

 

 

Syeda Zehra

Assistant Editor, A journalist with an insatiable appetite for good content. I can have endless conversations about fashion, music, films and dramas.