Description
Adding flowers can make any dish look a little more fancy, but did you know that some flowers are actually edible? Edible flowers coated in a superfine sugar mixture are also known as Candied Flowers and they make great decorations for cakes, cupcakes and cookies. You can also just eat Candied Flowers as a tasty treat by themselves.
Supplies
- 2 pasteurized egg whites (or you can use meringue powder or dried egg whites)
- 2 cups Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
- Wax paper
- Small paintbrush
- Tweezers
- Variety of edible flowers (Note: Not all flowers can be consumed! For a list of beautiful and safe to eat flowers, see this chart on About.com.)
Directions
- Whisk 2 egg whites or in a small bowl until they become light and frothy. Beat until completely smooth with no lumps.
- Put 2 cups of sugar in a second bowl. (Note: for a superfine sugar, pulse the granulated sugar in a food processor for a few seconds.)
- Select a variety of edible flowers. Make sure the flowers have not been treated with chemicals or pesticides.
- Hold the flower by the stem or with a pair of tweezers and with the paintbrush gently coat the tops and bottoms of all petals with the egg white mixture. Cover completely but do not saturate as too much egg white on the petals will soak in and not allow the flower to harden.
- Dip the flowers into the sugar and coat evenly. Gently shake off any excess sugar and place on wax paper to completely dry and harden. The hardening process can take up to 36 hours. Candied flowers are fully dry when stiff and brittle to the touch.
- After they dry, store in an air-tight container at room temperature and separated by layers of wax paper. Use within 2 months.