Miss Ethel Smith was a dedicated member of the Mississippi Daylily Society. Her home was No Mistake Plantation and it was a gathering spot for daylily people. In 1983 Miss Ethel developed the ‘Yazoo Soufflé’ daylily, a ruffle-edged, double, apricot cream flower. Organic daylilies are edible and make a beautiful addition to desserts, like this one, in which cream and apricots are fluffed up. Even though this dessert is really a mousse I call it a soufflé in honor of Miss Ethel’s lilies.

　　

Ingredients

serves 6

　　1 cup dried apricots

　　2 tablespoons sugar

　　2 tablespoons apricot brandy

　　1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin

　　1 cup heavy cream, cold

　　6 daylilies, stamens removed

　　

Step 1

Put the apricots in a small saucepan with 1/2 cup water and simmer over medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Add the sugar, raise the heat to medium-high, and cook for 5 minutes, keeping an eye on the apricots so that they don’t burn.

　　

Step 2

While the apricots are simmering, in a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons cold water with the apricot brandy. Sprinkle the gelatin over the mixture and allow it to soften for 3 minutes. Stir the gelatin and set aside.

　　

Step 3

When the apricots have finished cooking, put them in a food processor or blender and pulse until pureed. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the gelatin. Place the bowl over ice water. Whisk every minute or so for 5 minutes, or until the mixture is cool.

　　

Step 4

While the apricot puree is cooling, whip the cream until soft peaks form.

　　

Step 5

Fold about one quarter of the whipped cream into the puree to lighten it. Then fold in the rest of the whipped cream until fully incorporated.

　　

Step 6

Place 1 daylily in each of 6 dessert flutes or parfait dishes, stem end down. Spoon or pipe the mousse into the daylily-lined flutes. Chill for 3 to 4 hours before serving.

　　Cooks' Note

　　Pick daylilies in the morning, remove the stamen, and place them in a large zipper-top food-storage bag until needed later the same day; if you pick them late in the day they will close up.

　　A Southerly Course