Make Candied Violets

Candied violets were a candy delicacy of the nineteenth century. Today, they are still a delicacy and are perfect for serving in country café, home Hold a Colonial Irish Afternoon Tea and in candy stores.

Ingredients

Old fashioned egg-white version:

  • Violet flowers, at least 20 in excellent condition with stems still attached, untreated with chemicals
  • 1 egg white
  • Caster/fine sugar

Sugar and water version (no egg-white):

  • Violet flowers, at least 20 in excellent condition with stems still attached, untreated with chemicals
  • 1 1/2 cup water
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 tsp almond extract or 1 Tsp rosewater (optional)
  • Caster/fine sugar (to sprinkle)

Steps

Both versions

  1. Wash the flowers very gently. Use a gentle water spray with the violets sitting in a sieve. Leave the stems on the violets to allow for ease of handling when preparing the flowers.
  2. Allow to dry by leaving on a kitchen paper towel, wire cake rack or sheet of plastic wrap.

Egg-white version

  1. Allow the egg white to warm to room temperature.
  2. Use a fine brush to paint each flower with the egg white. Make sure to cover each flower completely. Do this over a piece of greaseproof paper or plastic wrap to collect drips.
  3. Dust each egg-white-coated flower in a sprinkling of fine sugar. Make sure that each flower is well covered in sugar.
  4. Remove the stems. Using fine scissors, snip the stems off.
  5. Lay the sugar-coated flowers out on greaseproof paper or baking paper to set. It helps if the paper is sitting over a wire cake rack or chopping board, to make moving the flowers around easier. Move the flowers to a warm and dry place to set.
  6. Allow the flowers to dry for at least 24 hours, or longer.

Sugar and water version

  1. Heat the sugar and water until sugar is completely dissolved. Add the extract or rose water at the time when you are dissolving the sugar.
  2. Dip each flower in liquid sugar mixture with a pair of tweezers. Set on wax coated paper and dust with extra-fine sugar. Make sure that each flower is well covered in sugar.
  3. Remove the stems. Using fine scissors, snip the stems off.
  4. Lay the sugar-coated flowers out on wax paper to set. Move the flowers to a cool and dry place to set.
  5. Allow the flowers to dry.

Storage and Use of Candied Violets

  1. Store once dried. Store in an airtight glass container. If you need to layer the flowers, place a layer of baking paper between each layer to prevent the candied violets from sticking together. Keep in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight.
  2. Serve. The candied violets are ready for serving any time wanted. They are great as a treat on their own or as a garnish next to a slice of cake and coulis.

Tips

  • Use within one month of creating.
  • Only use perfect flowers for making candied violets, as the way they appear is a large part of the treat.

Warnings

  • Do not dry the flowers in direct sunlight; they will not set and will wilt.
  • Only use flowers that you know are pesticide-free.
  • If you have any concerns about the source of your eggs, or you are against using egg-white, simply use the sugar and water version. The use of raw egg-white remains a personal matter for cooks and is less frowned upon in some countries than in others. It is not an outright ban or warning against their use, so please respect the fact that some cooks and consumers do not have concerns about use of egg-white from safe egg stock.

Things You'll Need

  • Kitchen paper towel or wire rack
  • Saucepan
  • Fine artist or culinary brush, suitable for food
  • Greaseproof paper or baking paper or wax coated paper
  • Wire rack or chopping board for drying
  • Tweezers

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