Add a floral flourish to your cordials and cocktails with these tips from Notting Hill-based florist and author Rowan Blossom

ALL IMAGES: JAMES STOPFORTH

In Spring and Summer, serve delicious cordials with these floral ice cubes. Although they are a little fiddly to create, they add a petalled prettiness to al fresco drinks. I serve sparkling elderflower cordial and fresh raspberries for a delicious pick-me-up.
If you are a host/hostess with the mostest but without the mostest amount of time, fill the ice-cube tray with distilled water, pop the flowers in and allow the cubes to freeze in one go. The flowers might all cluster in one part of the ice cube, but it will still be a charming addition to any drink.
Ingredients
- Distilled water – this keeps the ice crystals clear
- Ice-cube tray
- Edible flowers, such as pansies, Dianthusor nasturtiums
Recipe
Using distilled water, fill an ice-cube tray one-quarter full and pop it in the freezer. Once set, add a layer of edible flowers, top up with water until half full and return to the freezer. Allow to set and repeat the process for the final layer of flowers, topping the water up completely and returning for the final freeze. Adding the flowers in layers means the blooms are suspended throughout the transparent ice cube.

This extract is taken from Rowan Blossom’s new book, Living with Flowers: Blooms & Bouquets for the Home, published by Laurence King, RRP £19.99. Available here and at all good bookshops.
Feeling inspired? Discover how to create more of Rowan’s beautiful floral creations here