This week, fresh colorful pansies arrived at the greenhouse. While we normally turn to pansies as the first flowers that we can plant outdoors in early spring, they are in fact an edible flower and serve as an elegant garnish. With Easter coming up, these sugared blossoms make a lovely accent for desserts and drinks well into spring. A sprinkling of sugar lends just a touch of sparkle to edible flowers– you can use dried violas, pansies, nasturtiums, or even rose petals. Atop baking, fresh fruit, or a favorite cocktail, these sugared blossoms make springtime sweets even more special.
What You’ll Need:
Edible dried flowers
1 egg white
1 teaspoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
Superfine sugar
Parchment paper
Small, soft-bristle paintbrush
Clean tweezers
To dry the flowers, there are two methods. You can hang them in a cool, dry place for 2-4 weeks, upside down and tied in a bundle. Or, simply dry them in the microwave. Arrange the flowers so they do not touch each other on a paper towel. Place the paper towel with the flowers in the microwave, and heat them on medium to high for one minute. If they are still not dry after this time, replace the used paper towel with a dry one and repeat the process. Once all the moisture has been taken out via the microwave, take them off the paper towel and leave them to cool off for at least ten minutes before proceeding.
To make sugared blossoms, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk egg white and lemon juice in a small bowl– since the egg whites won’t be cooked, be sure to use fresh eggs from a trusted source. Gently hold a single flower with clean tweezers and brush all surfaces with the egg and lemon wash. Sprinkle with superfine sugar, then transfer to the baking sheet. Once all your flowers are sugared, let them sit at room temperature overnight.
Bon Appetit!