Sugared flowers-petals or leaves

6 Dozen

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
6 To 7 dozen pesticide-free edible small flowers, petals, or mint leaves (see Note)
¾ cup Sugar
⅓ cup Meringue powder mixed with 3 to 4 T water (or if not to be eaten, 3 large egg whites)

Directions

1. Rinse flowers, petals, or leaves in cool water and gently pat dry on facial tissues.

2. In separate small bowls, place sugar and meringue-powder mixture (or egg whites if the decorations will not be eaten). Holding 1 flower, petal, or leaf at a time, with a tiny paintbrush, paint all sides with meringue-powder mixture.

3. Holding the flower, petal, or leaf over the bowl of sugar, sprinkle all sides with sugar until well coated. Place sugared flower, petal, or leaf directly on wire rack over waxed paper and let stand in warm place until sugar dries and hardens. Repeat to coat all pieces. Rinse and dry fingers frequently to remove stickiness.

4. Store sugared flowers, petals, or leaves in an airtight container with waxed paper between the layers until ready to use.

Note: Purchase edible flowers from a gourmet produce market or organic gardener. Flowers from a florist will not be pesticide-free. You may use pansies, violets, violas, chrysanthemums, nasturtiums, primroses, or roses. Already sugared edible flowers can be found in gourmet shops; sugared pansies can be ordered by mail from Grapevine Trading Co., 59 Maxwell Ct., Santa Rosa, CA 95401; (707) 576-3950.

Note: Meringue powder is used as a coating here and can be purchased wherever cake-decorating supplies are, sold or by mail from Wilton Industries, Inc., 2240 West 75th St., Woodridge, IL 60517 (708) 963-7100. If the sugared flowers are not to be eaten and are for display only, use egg whites instead.

Country Living Holidays/1994 Scanned & edited by Di Pahl & <gg> File

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