Colorful, velvety pansies pop up in garden beds and borders in early spring. But the blooms of pansies are not only elegant but also edible, making them perfect for decorating a cake or tart. The process of creating crystallized pansies requires only two basic ingredients: sugar and egg whites. However, because of the risk of salmonella poisoning, raw egg whites should not be used in foods prepared for babies, young children, pregnant women, the eldery or anyone whose immune system is compromised. Powdered egg whites, mixed with a little water, can be substituted in these cases.
Pansies have a mild, fresh flavor or a slight wintergreen flavor, depending on how much of the flower you consume (a whole flower will taste stronger than the individual petals). Before working with pansies, be sure you only use flowers that are grown organically, without chemical pesticides. Thus, anything from a florist, garden center or nursery cannot be used. It's a good idea to only use flowers that you've either grown yourself or that come from an organic, edible-flower source.
How to Crystalize Pansies
To crystallize pansies, wait for a dry, clear day. If possible, work in an air-conditioned room. Cut the flowers and place their stems in a glass of water. Dilute one egg white with a few drops of water. Fill a small bowl with superfine sugar and cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. You'll also need to use a pair of small, sharp scissors and tweezers.
Cut the flower stem as close to the base of the flower head as possible. Cut off the sepals (the green flaps on the back of the flower head). Hold the remaining portion of the stem with the tweezers. Use your fingers to coat the flower with the egg white-water mixture, pressing the egg white into the petals and lifting the petals to get the egg white into those hard-to-reach areas. Lay the flower head facedown on a work surface to smooth it out and to remove any excess egg white.
Holding the base again with the tweezers, hold the flower faceup over the bowl of sugar and sprinkle the sugar over the flower generously once over the flower. Turn the flower over immediately. Sprinkle the sugar over the back of the flower once or twice. It is essential that every bit of the flower is coated with sugar; this sugar shell preserves the flower. Place the flower face up on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Set the baking sheet in a cool, dry place to dry for about eight hours, or until the flowers feel crisp to the touch.
Crystallized flowers can keep up to one year. Line a plastic, airtight container with bubble wrap, then lay a piece of soft tulle on top. Arrange crystallized pansies in one layer on the tulle, then cover with another piece of tulle. Add more layers of crystallized pansies and tulle until the container is full. Cover and store at room temperature until ready to use.
SOURCES
Edible, organic pansies
The Herb Lady
52792 42nd Avenue
Lawrence, MI 49064
Michael Vyskocil - Michael Vyskocil has been a feature writer for Recipes on Suite101.com since 2006. He currently serves as the Topic Editor for Recipes.
Join the Conversation