Want to Make that Cake Really Special? Add Edible Candy Flowers!
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If you are looking to create special garnishes for drinks or cakes, you may need to head out to your garden or florist. There are a number of edible flowers and plants that people have growing in their yards and gardens that may be unexpected. Around the world, people make edible candy flowers to decorate their cakes and cocktails.
For thousands of years, people have cooked with edible flower petals. Certain cuisines, such as Asian and Middle Eastern, rely on the flavors of certain flowers to create their unique tastses. There are edible flowers for salads and edible flowers used as teas. Common edible flowers that people have in their gardens include violets, pansies, marigolds, nasturtiums, roses, chrysanthemums, geraniums and hibiscus. There are an estimated 100 kinds of flowers that are both edible and taste good. In addition to being able to throw these in a recipe, people who love to bake make their own edible candy flowers to include on a variety of foods.
The process of making edible candy flowers is pretty simple and straightforward. You will need a few supplies to get you started.
- An artist’s paint brush. This should be small and have a point that is fine. When you start out, you should use a new brush. It is easier to use the newer paint brushes on flower petals.
- A plate.
- Edible flowers. The fresher you get them, the better. If you want to be ultra careful about pesticides, you can grow the flowers yourself.
- A baking sheet.
- Parchment paper.
- Egg whites. You need one quarter cup of egg whites for every cup of flowers. You can buy pasteurized egg white product or you can get your own.
- Superfine sugar. This produces much better looking edible candy flowers.
- Patience. The first few batches will not come out looking great. You need to practice making edible candy flowers at last a bit before you get the look you want.
Making the edible candy flowers:
- Get the right edible flowers. As was mentioned, there are over 100 kinds of edible flowers that you have to choose from. Be careful to avoid any flowers that your friends or family are allergic to. Check to make sure the flowers you buy have not been sprayed with any chemicals such as plant food, pesticides or fungicides.
- Coat the petals with the egg whites. You should not dip the flowers in the egg whites because that will leave too thick a coating. Use the artist’s paint brush to apply a light coat of the egg whites on your petals. Too much of the egg whites will prevent your flowers from becoming crispy.
- Take your superfine sugar and place it on a plate. Sprinkle superfine sugar on the flower petals. Do this on the top and the bottom of the flowers. You should take care not to put too much sugar on the flowers. Too much sugar will melt when you bake the flower and you will lose the look of the flower. You can create a matted mess if you are not careful with this step.
- Take your parchment paper and line your baking sheet. Arrange your flowers on the paper. They should not touch each other. Let this air out for between one to three days. This should cause the flowers to become crispy. You can speed the process along by heating your oven to the lowest setting. Turn off the oven and place your baking sheet in it and let sit for about six hours. Check regularly to see when the flowers become crispy.
- Put your flowers in a container that is air tight. Your edible candy flowers can stay good for a few weeks or for as long as a few months.
Edible flowers can make meals much more appealing to children. Experts say they prefer to eat a plate that has at least seven different food components and includes six different colors. By contrast, adults only need three of each. Picky eaters may be less picky when they see the pretty flowers with their meal. They may also have a lot of fun selecting blooms to make into edible candy flowers. This can also be a fun activity to do with your kids.
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