Crystallized Flowers

These violets are now out in our country lanes. They are such stunning little gems. I have been researching how to preserve these as they and other types of violet are edible and would look great on special cupcake recipes. I have also got some growing in my garden along with edible primrose flowers. I also have some aubretia flowers but these are not edible but a good colour to preserve. As summer comes along there will be more flowers to preserve to go on cupcakes

I used egg white powder. These are safer than raw egg white. I mixed it in a bowl and followed the instructions on the packet.

This shows very fine sugar being put onto a flower coated in egg white.

This is the set up

A bowl with mixed egg white with a paint brush to paint on the egg white.

A bowl with very fine sugar but not powder and a teaspoon. I used our castor sugar. You can also make fine sugar in an electric nut grinder.

A plate dusted in fine sugar to place the coated flowers to dry.

Method

Clean flowers by gently dusting with a paint brush.

Use a paint brush to cover the flower with the egg white. I held the flower by the stalk and brushed inside first and then I balanced the flower on my left hand whilst I painted the outer petals with a brush.

I then held the flower by the stalk over the sugar and gently sprinkled the sugar over the flower with a teaspoon on both sides.

I then put the flower on a large plate which has a light dusting of sugar.

I repeated for the other flowers and then left then for 24 hours in a hot place for them to dry out.

I then put into a plastic box to store until I use them on some cupcakes recipes.

Flowers drying out in the sun in my conservatory. A hot dry cupboard would also work well.

They look so fragile and pretty.

These will look great on some cupcakes I want to do soon.