Recipe: Candied Flowers

By theadmin

Add a touch of wild to your summer celebrations with these sugary, flowery delights.

Ingredients

1-2 cups edible flowers
1 large egg white, room temperature
1 teaspoon water
1/2 cup superfine sugar

Method

Gather your edible flowers. Whisk egg white and water in a small bowl to create an egg wash. Carefully brush the egg wash over one flower at a time, using a small paintbrush and holding the flower with tweezers so you can fully coat the whole surface and properly preserve the flower. Dust the flower all over with sugar until fully covered; gently knock off any larger clumps.

Note: You can make superfine sugar by pulverizing granulated sugar in a food processor at high speed for 1-2 minutes, until superfine but before it becomes a powder; to reduce mess, cover your food processor with a kitchen towel while you blend.

Let flowers stand overnight at room temperature on a wire rack, or until crisp; do any final petal arranging or touch-ups before they dry. Store single-layered in airtight containers at room temperature.

Raw egg warning: Consuming raw egg poses a risk of foodborne illness; if this is a concern, you can use a pasteurized egg white.

Finding Edible Flowers

You can find edible flowers at local farmers markets, from online retailers, or potentially in grocery stores in the herb section (not at the florist) — or you can grow your own! If you buy flowers, make sure they are food-grade and from a trusted source. Note that flowers must be edible and pesticide-free.

Types of flowers: Pansies, violets, periwinkles, honeysuckle, and chamomile all work beautifully

To Serve

Bring a touch of wild to your summer celebrations by decorating with candied flowers. Use them to drop into drinks, top bowls of ice cream, or garnish cakes, as pictured. However you use them, remember the flowers will absorb moisture, so add them at the last possible moment before presenting to get the full effect.

Break out a sugary, flower-covered cake at Midsummer. Learn how to celebrate it here!