Add a touch of elegance to your spring and summer cakes and desserts with some homemade crystallised flowers. Or just eat as sweets, they're really delicious. They make lovely gifts too. Follow this guide on how to crystallise flowers and you'll never be stuck for cake decorations again.
Place the egg white into a small bowl and lightly beat with a fork.
½ egg white
Hold a flower or petal with the tweezers, then use the brush to paint the entire surface of the flower with the egg white. Try not to make the surface too wet.
petals from two scented roses or a large handful of smaller whole flowers
Use the teaspoon to scatter a little sugar over both sides of the flower or petal so that it's more or less covered.
25 g caster sugar
If the flowers or petals are quite large, lay them onto a wire rack to dry. If they're smaller or particularly delicate, lay them on a tray lined with parchment paper.
Leave in an airy place to dry for about twenty four hours. You'll know they're done when they're crisp all over.
Once thoroughly dry use to decorate your cakes and desserts. Alternatively store between layers of parchment paper in an air tight container for up to a year.
Video
Notes
Quite how many flowers you'll get will very much depend on size and how lightly or heavily you sprinkle the sugar. But you can always use more sugar if needed.Common wisdom has it that it's best to remove the white heel at the the base of rose petals as well as alpine pinks. These have a slight bitter taste. I never do, but you might like to.Please note: calories and other nutritional information are per serving. They’re approximate and will depend on exact ingredients used.