Crystallizing flowers to decorate puddings and cakes is not an impossible task. The tradition of using flowers in cooking (not just in pastry) is very ancient and present in many countries, in Europe and the East. The rose, with its delicate petals and delicious scent, is certainly the protagonist in Indian and English cuisine, but also in Lebanon, Persia, and Turkey recipes abound. Even simpler and less elegant flowers lend themselves to being candied, or rather cold crystallized: these include primroses, violets, daisies, wisteria and acacia flowers, elderberry, and all the flowers of aromatic plants.
In Liguria, where the practice of using wild herbs in cooking is an ancient tradition, we do not disdain any flower: we eat them all. In the windows of prestigious historical confectioneries like Romanengo and Profumo, adorable and very expensive boxes of violets and rose petals covered with sugar are sold, and Maria Giulia Scolaro has turned her home among the roses into an enchanted and very refined kingdom.
I learned to crystallize flowers at home many years ago, using lightly beaten egg whites and sugar. But the smell of egg that remains on the flowers bothers me and, above all, it alters their very delicate flavor. Also, flowers crystallized with egg white last only a day or two.
Recently, however, I discovered gum arabic and learned how to use it to crystallize flowers. The process is very simple, and I am happy to share it because the result is magnificent.
If you like cooking with flowers, you’ve come to the right place. Read:
🌼 Pear jam with violets
🌼 Fiordilatte ice cream with violets and marrons glacés – How to use essences in cooking
🌼 Lavender panna cotta – Recipe with cold infusion
🌼 Lavender and Lemon: luglienga focaccia
🌼 Rose amaretti – Ligurian recipe with almond flour and rose syrup
🌼 Mini cakes with rose scent
But don’t limit yourself to these: if you want to browse the blog, you will find much more.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Rest time: 12 Hours
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 6
- Cooking methods: No cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
It’s difficult to talk about weight. It would be easier to talk about the number of flowers rather than their weight. In fact, the violet and primrose flowers I used in this recipe are very light. As for the sugar and gum arabic, we’ll only use what we need. Inevitably, once the work is done, we will find ourselves having to throw away some leftover gum and, instead, put most of the sugar back.
- 1.06 oz edible flowers (violets, primroses, and daisies)
- 1 tablespoon gum arabic (in powder)
- 2 tablespoons water
- 10.58 oz granulated sugar (we'll only use the necessary amount)
From today, you can receive all the new recipes on the Telegram channel of my blog. It’s free and to subscribe, you just need to open this link: this way you’ll always be updated on recipes, secrets, tips, and news. You can receive all the recipes on your phone, without risking missing any and without needing to enter any phone number or email address; if you then want to leave the channel, just remove it.
What You Need to Crystallize Flowers with the Gum Arabic Method
For this preparation, no special tools are needed. However, I found plastic basins for breading very useful, and the fine-mesh cake rack on which to dry the flowers once crystallized. You will also definitely need a fairly small brush.
Finally, it’s a great idea to package these small sugar flowers in transparent boxes with homemade Ginevrine. Tied with a nice ribbon, they will make a great impression and will be a sweet and original little gift. Even as a favor.
- Basins for breading
- Cake racks
- Brushes
How to Prepare Crystallized Flowers
Crystallizing flowers is an operation that must be done with calm and precision: it’s a relaxing game that I recommend to everyone and allows you to obtain natural and crunchy candies.
Let’s get some edible flowers that we can use without fear. I picked them in the countryside in a truly unspoiled place.
Carefully clean the flowers so as not to damage them, with a dry brush. Then cut the stem, but not completely as it will help us handle the flowers. We can cut it off once the work is done.
In a bowl, dissolve the gum arabic with warm water and mix carefully. Then prepare plenty of sugar in a sufficiently large basin, and finally prepare the cake rack over a tray.We are ready to start. Gently brush each flower with gum arabic, one petal at a time and front and back, where possible. Then, still very gently, pass each flower through sugar. Move the sugar gently between your hands, to cover the entire flower well without crushing it too much or, worse, breaking it. Alternatively, press very gently as you would to bread a cutlet. Once done, place your little flower to dry on the rack.
Continue in this way, until finishing the flowers. I also crystallized some small leaves. Violet leaves are sweet and delicious, primrose leaves taste like the best salad. Instead, daisies (flowers and leaves) taste like grass, but sugary grass is delicious.
You can let the crystallized flowers dry in the air for many hours, or turn on the oven to 80, 100°F at most and leave them in the warmth for a few hours. In any case, to achieve perfect crystallization, it takes 48 hours.
The Queen’s Tips
Be careful not to overdo it with gum arabic. If you decide to dip the flowers in liquid gum, remember to remove the excess with the brush. Otherwise, our flower will remain imprisoned in a cocoon of gum and sugar and will lose its contours.
If we want to enhance the flavor of the flowers, roses, or violets, just a drop of essence (good and natural, mind you) in the gum arabic will suffice. Some add color, I never do: if you don’t overdo it with sugar, the colors show well.
These adorable crunchy little flowers can enrich ice creams and puddings. Mixed with small fresh flowers, or even on their own, they will be the perfect decoration for important cakes too.
Return to the HOME to get to know me better by reading About Me, discover the Vegetarian Dishes, Ligurian Recipes, and all the good things the Queen in the Kitchen prepares.
Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and now also on Telegram: you will see that you will never be without dinner ideas again!
Note: This recipe contains affiliate links.
Return to the HOME to get to know me better by reading About Me, discover the Vegetarian Dishes, Ligurian Recipes, and all the good things the Queen in the Kitchen prepares.
Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and now also on Telegram: you will see that you will never be without dinner ideas again!
Note: This recipe contains affiliate links.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Do you know what gum arabic is?
Gum arabic is a natural product extracted from the acacia plant. It is a defensive resin that the plant secretes to close its superficial wounds and has many uses: in cooking, herbal medicine, cosmetics, and more. We will use it to adhere the sugar to the flower petals and to preserve them for a long time.
If you want to delve deeper and learn more, read this article from TUTTO GREEN on gum arabic, and you’ll discover many interesting things.
