Creamy cold low carb chai iced tea with a delicious hint of rose water. A sugar-free summer drink for the senses.This post is sponsored by Nielsen-MAssey

Have you ever tried rose water? This is definitely a new-to-me ingredient. Before becoming a blogger and perusing the vast landscape of food blogs, I thought of rose water as an eau de toilette, a perfume, something that I might find in Crabtree and Evelyn. And so it is, of course, but it’s also something you can use for culinary purposes to give a lovely floral scent to desserts, baked goods, cocktails, and other beverages. I swear I would not have known this if not for my addiction to pretty food photo sites like Foodgawker and Pinterest. A search for “rose water” on those sites and you will see some of the prettiest creations you can imagine.

Rose water had been on my list to try for a while now so it was perfect timing when Nielsen-Massey asked me to create a summer beverage recipe featuring their extracts. I didn’t have a clue that they made rose water along with their world-renowned vanillas, but I spotted it on their product list and knew I had to get my hands on some. I also selected some orange blossom water and some Mexican vanilla to try.

When you open the rose water and give it a sniff, it smells as if you are walking through lush gardens full of roses in bloom. You might be tempted to dab a little behind your ears, and really, who could blame you? The floral notes suggested to me that it might pair well with the strong, warm spices in chai tea. So I created a chai tea base to which I could then add sweetener, cream and rose water. I intended to also try the orange blossom water in the chai as well. Alas, that bottle fell from my over-stuffed baking cupboard the other day and shattered all over my counter. It smelled amazing, however, and I suspect it would also be a great addition to chai lattes!

I was worried that the strong flavours of cinnamon, cardamom and ginger might overwhelm the delicate rose water, but my fears were unfounded. The scent is delicate but the taste comes through strikingly so a little goes a long way. Together with the chai and cream over ice, it made for a remarkably refreshing summer drink. And I can already see other rose-scented recipes…scones, biscotti, ice cream, panna cotta. The possibilities for rose water seem endless. Check out the Uses and Pairings guide from Nielsen-Massey for great ideas on how to use all of their flavourings.

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Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Nielsen-Massey. All recipes, photography and opinions are my own.

Rose-Scented Iced Chai Latte

Creamy cold low carb chai iced tea with a delicious hint of rose water. A sugar-free summer drink for the senses.

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Course: Drinks

Cuisine: Beverage

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 2 servings

Calories: 211kcal

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1/2- inch piece fresh ginger peeled and sliced
• 1/2 star anise
• 8 cardamom seeds gently crushed
• 6 whole peppercorns
• Pinch ground cloves
• 2 bags black tea can be decaf
• 1/2 tsp Nielsen-Massey Mexican Vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp Nielsen-Massey Rose Water
• 2 tbsp Swerve Sweetener
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• Lightly sweetened whipped cream for topping optional

Instructions

• In a medium saucepan, combine water, cinnamon sticks, ginger, star anise, cardamom seeds, peppercorns and cloves. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.
• Remove from heat and add tea bags. Let steep 5 to 10 minutes, then strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve and refrigerate until chilled.
• Add vanilla, rose water and sweetener. Stir until sweetener is dissolved. Divide between two large glasses filled with ice.
• Add whipping cream and stir until well mixed. Add whipped cream for topping, if desired.

Notes

Serves 2. Each serving has 1.79 g of carbs.

Food energy: 211kcal
Total fat: 20.88g
Calories from fat: 187
Cholesterol: 81mg
Carbohydrate, by difference: 1.79g
Total dietary fiber: --
Protein: 1.22g

Nutrition Facts

Rose-Scented Iced Chai Latte

Amount Per Serving (1 latte)

Calories 211 Calories from Fat 188

% Daily Value*

Fat 20.88g32%

Cholesterol 81mg27%

Protein 1.22g2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.