Make Strawberry Flowers

Strawberries can be shaped into flowers and arranged in beautiful bouquets.[1] Although these flowers may look professional, they are actually quite easy to create and make great party refreshments and gifts.

Steps

Creating a Basic Strawberry Flower

  1. Gather your ingredients. Foremost, you’ll want to get the best strawberries you can find. For your flowers, buy large strawberries that are bright red. Lightly press one of the strawberries with your thumb to test for firmness. If the strawberries are too soft, they will be hard to shape. The more uniform they are, the better your flowers will look.
    • Wash and dry your strawberries before you make your flowers.
    • You’ll also need at least one skewer to hold the strawberry while you cut your petals into it.
    • For cutting, use a small paring knife. Sharpen the knife before you begin for the best results.[2]
  2. Push the base of your strawberry into the skewer. The base is the end of the strawberry with leaves. This will keep the berry in place while you create your flower. Only push the skewer in far enough to hold the berry firmly.
    • You don’t want to hit the skewer as you carve your top petals.
  3. Create the outer petals.[3] Use the paring knife to slice a small section of your strawberry downwards toward the stem about one-fourth of an inch deep. Depending on the size of your strawberry, you should be able to get four to six of these petals circling around the bottom of your strawberry.
    • After you make your incisions, use the flat of the knife to slightly bend each petal outwards, so it curls like a flower.
    • As you cut, be careful to only cut into the strawberry slightly. Avoid removing any part of it.
  4. Add more layers of petals to your strawberry.[4]You should be able to get about three to four rows of petals on a strawberry. Continue making slight cuts around the berry. Each row will have fewer petals as you move upward.
    • As you get toward the top, make your cuts as thin and close to the skin of the berry as possible. This will help your petals curl outward and look more realistic.
  5. Finish the top of your strawberry flower. To do this, drive your knife downward into the top of your berry to create the look of final petals.
    • After you make these final cuts, spin your flower around and look at it. Adjust it as you see fit. Make the petals deeper or curl them out more if you feel like this would improve the aesthetic.

Embellishing Your Strawberry Flowers

  1. Add chocolate. To make your strawberry flowers more of a treat or special gift, you can add sweet drizzle of melted white, dark, or milk chocolate.
    • For even more decadence and a geometric look, dip your strawberry flowers completely in chocolate.[5]
    • Melt chocolate chips or chopped up chocolate over a double boiler or in low power increments in the microwave. Stir often. To temper the chocolate, add a few extra pieces of solid chocolate to your melted chocolate and stir them in until they melt.[6]
    • To create an even drizzle, spoon your melted chocolate into a plastic sandwich bag. Cut off a tiny bit of one corner of the bag. Squeeze the chocolate onto your strawberry in this hole in the bag as though you are piping icing.
    • Lay out your strawberries on wax paper to let the chocolate harden so that it doesn’t become messy or smudged.
  2. Give your rose some sparkle. Interesting sprinkles can give your strawberry roses a pop of color and visual interest.
    • For a touch of class, add single edible sugar pearls in the petals of your strawberries.[7] You can find these at most grocery stories in the confectionary aisle.
    • To add these pearls to your strawberries, use a dot of melted white chocolate as a kind of edible glue. Simply dip one side of the pearl in the chocolate, and then place it on one of the petals of your strawberry. Don’t move the strawberries until this chocolate dries.
  3. Add multi-colored sprinkles. Rainbow sprinkles will transform your strawberries with a bit of whimsy. Adding sprinkles will make these fancy strawberries a kid-friendly treat.
    • Adding sprinkles to your strawberries work best with chocolate.
    • First, either dip your strawberry into melted chocolate or drizzle with the melted chocolate of your choice.
    • While the chocolate is still wet, shake your sprinkles onto so that they stick.
    • Allow your strawberries to dry on waxed or parchment paper.
  4. Create a bouquet.[8] To add an element of realism to your strawberry flowers, display them atop flower stems. You can use stems from plastic flowers for a reusable option or cut the stems off of fresh flowers.
    • For fresh stems, take a sharp knife to create a 45-degree angle on each of your stems. This will help them glide easily into the strawberries.
    • Carefully stick your stems into the base of your strawberries where the skewers were. Only push them in far enough that the flowers feel secure. You don’t want the stem to protrude from the top of your strawberry flower.
    • Place your finished flowers in a vase of your choice to serve.
    • If you don’t want to use stems, you can also dye your skewers green. Mix some green food coloring and water in a large dish like a roasting pan. Then, lay all your skewers in the pan, and leave them to dye for 30 minutes. Lay them out on a paper towel to dry.

Using Your Strawberry Flowers

  1. Serve them at a party. Strawberry flowers are deceptively simple, and so they are an impressive refreshment at any gathering and party.
    • Strawberry flowers are a beautiful addition to a wedding shower or baby shower served in a vase on either skewers or stems or added to a fruit plate.
    • For a more adult treat, make the classic champagne and strawberries a little more lovely.[9]Simply add a strawberry flower to the rim of each glass. To do this, make an approximately half-inch incision in the bottom of the strawberry, and then push it onto the side of the champagne flute.
  2. Add your strawberry flowers to baked goods. Whether it’s for a party, your own enjoyment, or something like a bake sale, strawberry flowers can greatly enhance the appearance of cakes, cupcakes, and tarts.
    • Add strawberry flowers to the top of your favorite strawberry shortcake recipe to make a classic just a bit more refined.[10]
    • To add strawberry flowers to a baked good, simply press them into the icing so that they stick and remain where you place them.
  3. Give your strawberry flowers away as a fresh gift. Many people give fruit baskets and fruit bouquets as gifts. A handmade strawberry flower bouquet can be a sweet gift to show you are thinking of someone.
    • This is great for Mother’s Day, a significant other, a birthday, or comforting someone who is ill or grieving.
    • Tie a ribbon around your bouquet, and add a hand written note for a little personalization.
    • Deliver your strawberry flowers as soon as you can, so they are fresh when the recipient gets them.


Things You’ll Need

  • Small wooden skewers
  • Sharpened paring knife
  • Strawberries
  • Embellishments if desired (chocolate, sprinkles, real flower stems)

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://ashandcrafts.com/strawberry-roses/
  2. ↑ http://www.thekitchn.com/dont-be-shy-sha-164130
  3. ↑ http://www.spendwithpennies.com/how-to-make-strawberry-roses/
  4. ↑ http://onelittleproject.com/how-to-make-a-strawberry-rose/
  5. ↑ http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/chocolate-covered-strawberries-recipe.html
  6. ↑ http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/how-to-temper-chocolate-356869
  7. ↑ https://www.confectioneryhouse.com/edible-decorations/edible-pearls
  8. ↑ http://www.icreativeideas.com/diy-beautiful-strawberry-roses/
  9. ↑ http://www.houseandgarden.co.uk/recipes/drinks-cocktails/strawberry-champagne-cocktails
  10. ↑ http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/strawberry-shortcake-recipe3.html
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