Flowers can be used for a multitude of dishes:
from garnishes to salads. Try freezing petals in ice cube trays
filled with water for a unique addition to your favorite lemonade or iced tea!
FLORAL LIQUEUR
4 cups vodka or brandy
1-cup sugar
1 - 2 cups flowers
Place lightly bruised petals in a jar with vodka or brandy and steep for 2 days. Then, add sugar and steep for 2 weeks, shaking vigorously once or twice a day to let sugar dissolve. Strain and filter into clean decanter.
Ideas:
rose, carnation, lavendar and mint
orange zest and mint
ginger and pear
peaches and lemon verbena
raspberry and lemon balm
use a dry white wine
FLOWER BUTTER
1/2 - 1 cup chopped fresh or dried petals
1 lb. sweet unsalted butter
Finely chop flower petals and mix into softened butter. Let mix stand for several hours at room temperature, then refrigerate for several days to bring out the flavour. Can be frozen for several months.
1-cup water (or rosewater)
3 cups sugar
1/2 - 1-cup flower petals, whole or crushed
Boil all ingredients for 10 minutes, or until thickened into syrup.
Strain through cheesecloth into a clean glass jar. Keeps up to 2
weeks in the refrigerator. Can be added to sparkling water or
champagne for a delicious beverage. Or, it may be poured over fruit, pound cake or pancakes.
from garnishes to salads. Try freezing petals in ice cube trays
filled with water for a unique addition to your favorite lemonade or iced tea!
CANDIED FLOWERS
1 egg white (please use powdered egg whites to avoid salmonella)
100 proof vodka
superfine granulated sugar
thin artist's paintbrush
violets, pansies, Johnny-jump-ups, rose petals, lilac, borage, pea, pinks, scented geraniums
wire rack
Beat egg whites until frothy. Add a couple of drops of vodka to help the flowers dry quicker. Using fresh picked flowers, paint each flower individually with beaten egg white using the artist's paintbrush. When thoroughly coated, sprinkle with fine sugar and place on the wire rack to dry. Flowers are completely dry when stiff and brittle to the touch. They can be stored in an airtight container and put in the freezer for up to a year. A simple bakery cake can be turned into a work of art by garnishing with candies flowers.
Will last approximately 6 months!
Idea: Try a chocolate cake decorated with fresh raspberries and
candied rose petals.
100 proof vodka
superfine granulated sugar
thin artist's paintbrush
violets, pansies, Johnny-jump-ups, rose petals, lilac, borage, pea, pinks, scented geraniums
wire rack
Beat egg whites until frothy. Add a couple of drops of vodka to help the flowers dry quicker. Using fresh picked flowers, paint each flower individually with beaten egg white using the artist's paintbrush. When thoroughly coated, sprinkle with fine sugar and place on the wire rack to dry. Flowers are completely dry when stiff and brittle to the touch. They can be stored in an airtight container and put in the freezer for up to a year. A simple bakery cake can be turned into a work of art by garnishing with candies flowers.
Will last approximately 6 months!
Idea: Try a chocolate cake decorated with fresh raspberries and
candied rose petals.
FLORAL LIQUEUR
4 cups vodka or brandy
1-cup sugar
1 - 2 cups flowers
Place lightly bruised petals in a jar with vodka or brandy and steep for 2 days. Then, add sugar and steep for 2 weeks, shaking vigorously once or twice a day to let sugar dissolve. Strain and filter into clean decanter.
Ideas:
rose, carnation, lavendar and mint
orange zest and mint
ginger and pear
peaches and lemon verbena
raspberry and lemon balm
use a dry white wine
FLOWER BUTTER
1/2 - 1 cup chopped fresh or dried petals
1 lb. sweet unsalted butter
Finely chop flower petals and mix into softened butter. Let mix stand for several hours at room temperature, then refrigerate for several days to bring out the flavour. Can be frozen for several months.
Wonderful on breads or used in sugar cookie or pound cake recipes.
Ideas:
use cream cheese
rose, lavender or sunflower
add some herbs: basil, thyme, garlic
FLOWER HONEY
1/2 - 1 cup fresh or dried petals
1 lb. honey
Add chopped or crushed flowers to honey. Loosely cover jar and place in a pan half full of gently boiling water. Remove from heat, and let sit in the hot water for 10 minutes. Remove jar from water and let cool to room temperature. Allow jar of honey with flowers to sit for 1 week. Flowers can then be strained out if desired.
Will last indefinitely in a cool dark place.
Uses: Tea, salad dressings, on croissants, scones, muffins and bread.
FLOWER JELLY
2 1/2 cups apple juice OR white wine
1 cup fresh rose petals or scented geranium flowers and leaves
4 cups sugar
1/4 lemon juice
1 - 2 drops food coloring (optional)
3 ounces of liquid pectin
fresh flower petals (optional)
Bring juice or wine to a boil and pour over petals. Cover and steep until liquid has cooled, then strain out flowers leaving only liquid.
Combine 2 cups of this flower infusion with sugar, lemon juice and food coloring. Bring to a boil over high heat and as soon as the sugar has dissolved, stir in the pectin. Return to a rolling boil, stirring, and boiling for exactly 1 minute. Remove the jelly from the heat and skim off any foam. Let jelly cool slightly and add more flower petals (if desired), then pour into sterilized jars. If petals do not stay suspended, stir jelly as it cools until petals stay in place. Process in hot water bath or seal with paraffin.
Yields: 4 - 5 half pints
FLOWER OIL
1/2 - 1 cup fresh or dried flowers
1 qt. vegetable oil
Add flowers to bottle of oil and place in a pan of water. Simmer
water with bottle in it gently for at least 30 minutes. Remove from stove and cool. Cover bottle tightly, and let steep a week before using. If dried flowers are used, they may be left in the oil. Fresh flowers should be drained after one week as they lose their color.
Uses: Salad dressings, marinades, hot pasta, stir-frying.
Nasturtium and herb blossom oils are excellent for sautéing.
Rose and carnation oils make nice salad dressings.
FLOWER SYRUP
Ideas:
use cream cheese
rose, lavender or sunflower
add some herbs: basil, thyme, garlic
FLOWER HONEY
1/2 - 1 cup fresh or dried petals
1 lb. honey
Add chopped or crushed flowers to honey. Loosely cover jar and place in a pan half full of gently boiling water. Remove from heat, and let sit in the hot water for 10 minutes. Remove jar from water and let cool to room temperature. Allow jar of honey with flowers to sit for 1 week. Flowers can then be strained out if desired.
Will last indefinitely in a cool dark place.
Uses: Tea, salad dressings, on croissants, scones, muffins and bread.
FLOWER JELLY
2 1/2 cups apple juice OR white wine
1 cup fresh rose petals or scented geranium flowers and leaves
4 cups sugar
1/4 lemon juice
1 - 2 drops food coloring (optional)
3 ounces of liquid pectin
fresh flower petals (optional)
Bring juice or wine to a boil and pour over petals. Cover and steep until liquid has cooled, then strain out flowers leaving only liquid.
Combine 2 cups of this flower infusion with sugar, lemon juice and food coloring. Bring to a boil over high heat and as soon as the sugar has dissolved, stir in the pectin. Return to a rolling boil, stirring, and boiling for exactly 1 minute. Remove the jelly from the heat and skim off any foam. Let jelly cool slightly and add more flower petals (if desired), then pour into sterilized jars. If petals do not stay suspended, stir jelly as it cools until petals stay in place. Process in hot water bath or seal with paraffin.
Yields: 4 - 5 half pints
FLOWER OIL
1/2 - 1 cup fresh or dried flowers
1 qt. vegetable oil
Add flowers to bottle of oil and place in a pan of water. Simmer
water with bottle in it gently for at least 30 minutes. Remove from stove and cool. Cover bottle tightly, and let steep a week before using. If dried flowers are used, they may be left in the oil. Fresh flowers should be drained after one week as they lose their color.
Uses: Salad dressings, marinades, hot pasta, stir-frying.
Nasturtium and herb blossom oils are excellent for sautéing.
Rose and carnation oils make nice salad dressings.
FLOWER SYRUP
1-cup water (or rosewater)
3 cups sugar
1/2 - 1-cup flower petals, whole or crushed
Boil all ingredients for 10 minutes, or until thickened into syrup.
Strain through cheesecloth into a clean glass jar. Keeps up to 2
weeks in the refrigerator. Can be added to sparkling water or
champagne for a delicious beverage. Or, it may be poured over fruit, pound cake or pancakes.
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