CRYSTALLIZED FLOWERS

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Single petals rather than whole flowers look more elegant, as unless extremely carefully done, the frosting tends to destroy the delicacy of the bloom. In the case of flower heads, such as elder, which are extremely fragile, it is best to leave them intact, and then gently break off little florets after frosting. Whisk up the egg white enough to break up the albumen but not a stiffly as for a meringue. Paint the petals using a small paint brush. Pour a good layer of caster sugar onto a large plate and dip the petals into the sugar. Take care to cover completely as the sugar acts as the preservative. Spread some grease-proof paper on a tray and lay out the cupboard or boiler room. The excess sugar can be re-used in cakes or puddings. If dried carefully after the frosting process, petals and flowers will keep a reasonable length of time stored between layers of grease – proof paper in lidded container.