It's the perfect time of year to crystallise spring flowers. I love making these beautiful and natural decorations to add a splash of colour to a special Mother's Day cake. Primroses, wood violets and viola's are at their best right now but apple blossom, borage flowers, rose petals and nasturtiums all work well too. You'll see I've also crystallised a few sprigs of mint. Make sure the flowers haven't been sprayed with chemicals and pick leaving a long stem to hold on to. Don't wash them, they must be bone dry.

You will need. One egg white thinned and lightly fork whisked with a teaspoon of vodka. Caster sugar. A small paint brush.

• Take a clean, dry flower. Hold it by the stalk (use tweezers if there is no stalk) then carefully paint all surfaces of the petals with egg white.
• Now gently sprinkle the flower with caster sugar ensuring top and bottom surfaces of the petals all catch some sugar.
• Place on baking parchment and leave to air dry for 24/36hrs. Remove stalks once the flowers have dried.
• The flowers will dry in the shape and position that you place them on the baking parchment so consider this when you set them aside to dry.
  • whisk egg white with a teaspoon of vodka
  • paint petals carefully with the egg white, not too much!
  • and decorate ...
  • sprinkle with sugar making sure all areas are covered
  • lay on baking parchment to dry
  •  
  View the embedded image gallery online at:
  http://com.suffolkfoodie.co.uk/item/842-crystallised-flowers.html#sigProId5dd679b348