Crystallized Flowers
How to Crystalize, or Candy, Roses, Violets and Primroses
Crystallized flowers, also known as Candied or Sugared flowers, are a very personal way to Decorate your Cakes and desserts. It is easy to Crystalize Flowers!
Crystallizing flowers takes a little time, perhaps as long as a sunny afternoon in the garden, but it is easy to do and the results are beautiful and spectacular!
Edible flowers that may be crystallized include roses, primroses and violets; primroses look delicate on a light summer cake, and violets set in a pale coloured icing on a dark chocolate gateau look magical.
Be sure to identify the flower as edible before attempting to crystallize it! You may also like to try crystallizing mint leaves to add contrast to the colours and flavour.
To ensure that the flowers have not been treated with chemicals not intended for consumption use either flowers that have been grown organically, or gather them from your own garden. When crystallizing delicate flowers such as primroses or violets, pick only a few at a time to ensure that they are remain in perfect condition. Crystallized flowers will store for up to three months if well dried and kept in an airtight container.
Many flowers may also be used in delicious, fragrant home made flower wines, and edible flower salads are both delicious and beautiful.
How to Crystallize flowers
- 1 medium-size egg white
- 2 teaspoons rose water (optional, you can use plain water instead, but the rosewater adds a lovely floral flavour)
- Caster sugar in a dish
- Edible flowers (rose petals, primroses and violets) in perfect condition
- A tray covered in greaseproof paper
- A soft paintbrush and tweezers
Lightly beat the egg white with the rose water or water; you are aiming for a mixture suitable for coating the petals rather than stiff peaks!
Pick the flowers up either with tweezers or by the stalk. Paint with an even coat of the egg white mix. It may take a little trial and error to find the right thickness to apply; coat thoroughly, but not more. It is important that all surfaces to be preserved are coated.
Before the flower dries, apply an even coating of caster sugar to all the surfaces. You may do this with a combination of dipping the flower in the dish of sugar and by sprinkling the sugar with your forefinger and thumb (useful for fiddly details).
Place the flower onto greaseproof paper and leave to dry for half an hour or so. It will quickly solidify, so ensure that the flower is laid out in the shape you wish for your decorations. If there is a stalk which you did not coat then you can cut it off, repaint the cut edge and then recoat it with sugar. Check for any uncovered areas, which would not preserve well, you can always repaint them with egg white and sprinkle with sugar. Be very careful handling the flowers once they have solidified as they are very fragile!
Leave the flowers in an airy place for 48 hours to dry thoroughly and then store in airtight jars for up to three months. Separate layers of flowers with, greaseproof paper; they make a lovely gift presented in a simply decorated box or jar.
