Many people are aware of the old Victorian tradition of hosting high tea-parties and elegant afternoon events. Did you know that one of the highlights of these events was crystallized flowers? These flowers provided beautiful décor and tasted amazing, making them a one-two punch at events. Because they’ll last up to a whole year, most people would make them in batches and keep them to pull out at the appropriate times. Though they take a little work, it’s well worth it to go through this process to impress your party-goers with your elegant dessert and décor know-how.
Supplies for Crystallizing Flower
- Fresh Flowers
- 1 Egg White at Room Temperature
- Powdered Sugar
- Paper towels
- 2 Small Bowls
- Tweezers
- Tiny Paint Brush
- Wax Paper Covered Wire Rack
Preparation
Begin by gently washing your flowers under cool water, and then drying them completely by letting them air dry and blotting them gently against a paper towel. As your flowers dry, beat the egg white in a bowl until foamy and easily spreadable over all the flowers. You’ll want to avoid any clumps in the liquid and make it as thin as possible. If you need to add water to get to this consistency, it is okay to add a little.
Once your egg white is to the consistency of your liking and your flowers have dried, gently dip the paint brush into the egg white and thoroughly coat each petal with egg. Be careful to cover each space evenly and to leave no part uncovered.
Lastly, take your dish of powdered sugar, and sprinkle evenly over both sides of petals. You’ll want to go through this process twice, as the egg will absorb and dissolve the fine sugar on the first round. Be careful on the second round not to dispose of any sugar that doesn’t dissolve or stick to the flower.
Drying and Storing
Place your coated flowers on your wax paper, and set out to dry at room temperature. The drying process will take roughly 36 hours to complete. You’ll know the flower is dry when you can no longer detect any moisture, either by sight or touch. A completely dry flower will be stiff and brittle to touch.
If you’d like to store some for future use, store them in an airtight container, layering them gently with tissue paper between. If stored correctly, these flowers will last up to a whole year.
Take this historic Victorian tradition and utilize it today as you dress up a cake or an edible centerpiece with beautiful and tasty crystallized flowers.