How To: Making Edible Sugared Flowers
For the midsummer’s night dream petit four table we were looking for a special delicate touch to decorate the tops of our yummy almond petit fours.
Edible flowers in hues of purple and yellow, with the crisp shimmer of sugar came to immediately to mind. After the pretty pictures hit the web, I was asked how we did it… so here you go.
You’ll need:
Sheet tray
Parchment paper
Paint brush for food
use only Edible flowers, (we used pansies)
Pasteurized egg white
½ cup Sugar
a teaspoon
2 small bowls
First, head to your trusted local florist and purchase a larger plant grown as naturally as you can find. I like purchasing the plant because it keeps on giving… and you can continue to harvest over and over. Rose Red & Lavender is my local florist of choice.
Before you cut them, give them a good wash with clean water and allow them to dry on the plant, in the sun if possible.
Harvest the flowers by clipping the stems, leaving about a ½ so that you can easily move them about.Prepare a work surface with a piece of parchment, a sheet tray lined with parchment, food use paint brush, and a small plate. Grab a teaspoon while you’re at it. Place ½ cup of sugar in a food processor and pulse to grind it as fine as you can. Place this in a small bowl.In another small bowl, whisk one egg white with a tablespoon of water until combined and a bit frothy. I would suggest purchasing already separated whites for this since there will be no cooking and these egg whites have been pasteurized.To make the candied flowers, dip the paint brush in the egg white, and paint the top or face of the flower gently, coating it well. Place the flower on the plate, face down, and paint the back with the frothy white…. I love that word frothy.
Place the wet flower face down into the sugar and spoon sugar to cover the entire flower. Pull the flower up gently… did I mention you have to be gentle through the whole process?... and place it face down on the parchment lined sheet tray. Allow this to air dry for about 24 hours and then you can peel them up … again gently… and tuck them away in an airtight container for up to 3 months.What do they taste like? Well, not much of anything, but aren’t they pretty? If you’re looking for flavor, consider using rose petals, violets or lavender instead.