Food has long been intertwined with romance and certain herbs and spices have a reputation for stirring the senses and lifting the spirits.
Among them, saffron and rose stand out — not just for their beauty and fragrance, but for their deeply rooted herbal actions that support the heart, mind and mood.
Saffron is known in herbal medicine as a nervine and mood enhancer, helping to ease stress, promote relaxation, and increase feelings of joy. Rich in antioxidants, it has been traditionally used to increase circulation, particularly to the mid region, which may explain its long history as an aphrodisiac. Ancient healers prescribed saffron-infused elixirs to invigorate the body and brighten the mood and used its properties in love potions.
Rose, with its unmistakable scent, has an equally powerful effect on the nervous system. Cooling and uplifting, it is used to soothe tension, open the heart and enhance sensuality. In traditional Persian medicine, rose was believed to balance emotions, relieve stagnation and support reproductive health.
As an aphrodisiac, it works on both the physical and emotional levels — softening stress, deepening connection and bringing a sense of openness and playfulness.
This month, I’m weaving these two botanicals into recipes that you can share with friends, family and loved ones this Valentine’s Day.
Saffron, rose and dark chocolate tart
This rich, silky tart is lovely to share with friends or your favourite person. The saffron and rose are subtle, just a whisper of something more intriguing than a standard chocolate tart.
If you don’t have saffron, you can substitute 1 tsp ground cardamom and a pinch of cayenne in the base to echo the spicy vibes.
Ingredients
For the pastry:
• 2 cups plain flour
• 3 Tbsp cocoa powder
• ½ cup sugar
• 130g cold butter, cut into small squares
• 1 large egg
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• Pinch saffron
• Good pinch of salt
For the filling:
• 300ml cream
• 50g soft butter
• 400g dark chocolate (70% is ideal), finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp rose water
• Pinch flaky salt (+ extra for topping)
Method
For the pastry:
1. Place all ingredients into a food processor and pulse until just combined.
2. Tip out and knead lightly by hand until the pastry just comes together. Flatten into a round disk, wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
3. Roll out on a lightly floured surface until about 3mm thick.
4. Press into a well-buttered loose-bottom tart tin, prick with a fork and freeze for at least 1 hour.
5. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line the tart with parchment paper and fill with baking beans, dried chickpeas or rice. Blind bake for 20 minutes.
6. Remove the paper and beans, then return to the oven for 10-15 minutes until crisp but not burnt. Let cool in the tin.
For the filling:
1. Once the base is completely cool, place chocolate, butter and salt in a large bowl.
2. Heat the cream until just boiling, then remove from heat and pour over the chocolate mixture.
3. Let sit for 2 minutes, then stir until glossy and smooth. Add rose water.
4. Pour into the cooled tart shell and tap on the bench lightly to even out the filling.
5. Chill for at least 2 hours until set.
6. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and dried rose petals. Decorate with fresh berries if you have them.
Slice with a hot knife and serve with whipped cream.
Saffron, rose and almond cake
This cake is gorgeous — an almost unnaturally bright sunny yellow — and is sure to bring loving, happy feelings just by looking at it.
If you want to make this gluten-free, omit the regular flour and semolina and use 1½ cups of gluten-free flour instead.
Ingredients
For the cake:
• 1 cup ground almonds
• 1¼ cups flour
• ¼ cup semolina
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 110g butter, melted
• 1 cup white sugar
• Zest of 1 orange
• 4 large eggs
• 3 Tbsp avocado oil
• 2 Tbsp rose water
• 2 pinches saffron, activated in 1 Tbsp boiling water (leave to brew for 10 minutes)
• 1 cup Greek yoghurt
For the syrup:
• ½ cup water
• ½ cup sugar
• Zest and juice of 1 orange
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• Large pinch saffron
• 1 Tbsp rose water
For the glaze:
• 2 cups icing sugar, sifted
• 1 Tbsp citrus juice (I used lime)
• 1 large pinch saffron, activated in
1 Tbsp boiling water (leave to brew for 10 minutes)
• 1 Tbsp rose water
To decorate:
• Chopped pistachios
• Dried rose petals
• Edible flowers
Method
For the cake:
1. Preheat the oven to 175°C. Butter and line a deep 8-inch cake tin (or two shallow ones).
2. In a large bowl, combine ground almonds, flour, semolina, salt, sugar and baking powder. Whisk to combine.
3. In another bowl, whisk together eggs, yoghurt, avocado oil, melted butter, rose water and activated saffron. This is your chance to get a little air into the batter — by hand or with an electric mixer.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and gently fold together until fully combined.
5. Pour into the prepared cake tin(s) and bake for 30-40 minutes (less for shallow tins) or until a skewer comes out clean.
6. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, pour over the saffron rose syrup, then leave to cool completely in the tin.
For the syrup:
1. In a saucepan, combine all ingredients and bring to a boil over medium heat.
2. Let it boil for 1-2 minutes, stirring.
3. If necessary, let it cool slightly before pouring over the hot cake.
For the glaze:
1. Once the cake is completely cool, sift the icing sugar into a bowl.
2. Add citrus juice, saffron and rose water, then mix. You want a thick, glossy paste — thicker than you think!
3. Thin with a little hot water if needed. Pour over the cake and spread lightly with a hot knife.
4. Top with pistachios, rose petals and edible flowers if you like.
Serve with yoghurt or cream. This cake is best eaten the day it’s made, but if you have leftovers, fry slices in butter and serve warm with vanilla ice cream!
