Candied Petals

A wonderful edible decoration for special-occasion desserts.

Candied petals provide a little colour, crunch and sweetness all at once. These pretty little additions are so simple to make but really add the wow-factor. I find it’s best to make candied petals on a dry day – if it’s humid or muggy the sugar can clump on the petals. Before you start make sure the petals you want to sugar have come from flowers that are definitely edible and that they won’t have been sprayed with any pesticides.

Choose undamaged petals and remove any white tips as these can taste bitter. Rinse the petals under cold water – use a gentle stream so you don’t damage them – and pat them dry between paper towels. Beat an egg white in a small bowl with some water. Use a small paintbrush or pastry brush to gently brush some egg white mixture over both sides of each petal. Dip the petals gently in a bowl of caster sugar so the sugar sticks to the bottom, then take a pinch of sugar and sprinkle it over the top of each petal. Spread the petals out in a single layer on a wire rack to dry, then store in a single layer in an airtight container for up to two days.