edible flowers

Salt and bittersweet chocolate lend a savory, sophisticated edge to this typically saccharine-sweet dessert. Halva can be a little tricky to make at first, and a candy thermometer is key to nailing the right temperature, which creates the desired flaky, crystallized texture. For a holiday party, package each slice up real cute and put it in a basket by the door for guests to take home.

Salted Chocolate Halva

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

tahini

kosher salt

Tbsp. black and white sesame seeds, divided

sugar

bittersweet chocolate

edible flowers (such

Flaky sea salt

candy thermometer

Bon Appétit

Lightly coat an 8½x4½" loaf pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper, leaving a 2" overhang on both of the long sides. Mix tahini, kosher salt, and 2 Tbsp. sesame seeds in a medium bowl to combine; set tahini mixture aside.

Cook sugar and ½ cup water in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring with a heatproof rubber spatula, until sugar is dissolved, about 4 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and fit pan with candy thermometer. Cook syrup, brushing down sides of saucepan with a wet pastry brush as needed to dissolve any crystals that form, until thermometer registers 250°, 7–10 minutes. Immediately remove syrup from heat and gradually stream into reserved tahini, mixing constantly with spatula. Continue to mix just until halva comes together in a smooth mass and starts to pull away from the sides of bowl (less than a minute). Be careful not to overmix or halva will be crumbly. Working quickly, scrape into prepared pan and let cool.

Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water (do not let bowl touch water), stirring often. Remove from heat. Invert halva onto a wire rack set inside a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet; peel away and discard parchment. Pour chocolate over halva and sprinkle top with flowers (if using), sea salt, and remaining 2 Tbsp. sesame seeds. Let sit until chocolate is set before serving, about 30 minutes.

Do Ahead: Halva can be made 3 days ahead. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature.

This gin sour is flavored with blackberries, lavender and honey, along with egg whites and edible flowers, makes for a beautiful cocktail!

Blackberry Lavender Gin Sour

5-6 Blackberries

.50 oz Lavender Honey Simple Syrup

oz Hendrick's Orbium Gin

lemon juice

sage bitters

Combine blackberries and simple syrup into shaker.

Muddle.

Add all ingredients except bitters.

Shake (without ice) for a dry shake to...

Shake (without ice) for a dry shake to get the egg white going.

Add ice, shake.

Double strain into coupe. Top with bitters and...

Double strain into coupe. Top with bitters and edible flowers if desired.

Cheers!

https://mediavine-res.cloudinary.com/video/upload/gocynf3f7n78ppqzqh68.mp4

A variation on the classic gin sour, this blackberry lavender version is floral and tasty. A dash of honey, lemon juice and gin makes for a great classic cocktail!

Beautiful, delicate, and mild, these beautiful blossoms can be used to make a variety of Japanese spring treats. Though they take a while to make, most of that time is idle, and the actual recipe is very easy to make. Note that the recipe makes both the flowers themselves and a batch of beautiful sakura vinegar, which can be used to flavour rice, sweets, and other dishes.This recipe yields about 1 cup of flowers and 1 cup (240 ml) of vinegar.  It can easily be halved or quartered.

Preserved Sakura Cherry Blossoms - 桜の塩漬け

tsp sea salt (preferably a flaky or very fine type)

rice vinegar

tsp umezu (plum vinegar) (optional (see note))

tsp sea salt

Pick unsprayed cherry blossoms from an ornamental cherry tree.  The best flowers to use are the ones that are just starting to open, so try to time your picking with the early blossoming stages.

Very gently wash the flowers by soaking them in clean water and stirring lightly with your hands.  Lay the flowers out to dry, or give them a quick and gentle spin with a salad spinner.

Gently sprinkle layers of flowers with sea salt in a small jar.  Refrigerate for 3 days.

Cover the flowers with vinegar and refrigerate for an additional 3 days.

If pickling, simply leave the flowers in the vinegar and transfer both to the refrigerator.  They will keep for 6 months or more, but the flowers will become less vibrant over time.

If drying, drain and reserve vinegar.  Spread the flowers out to dry.  They can be air-dried, or dried in a very low oven or dehydrator (see variations below, and the note section at the bottom regarding the final dryness of the flowers).

Spread the blossoms out on a small tray or board covered with a soft tea towel or cloth.  Place the flowers in a warm, dry area, but out of direct sunlight.  Check on the flowers once a day or so (actual drying time will depend on warmth and humidity, but three days is average).

Air Drying

Spread the flowers out on a large cookie sheet covered with a silicon sheet or parchment paper.

Place the flowers in the oven and turn on the bread proof setting.  This setting will use only the heat of the oven light and the fan to create an even, moderately warm environment.  Check on the flowers at the end of the day, and, if necessary, leave overnight or repeat the warming steps daily until the flowers are dried out.

Oven Drying (Bread Proof Setting)

NOTE: while this option is the fastest, it&#039;s also the riskiest.  Only attempt this If your oven can be set to a very low temperature.  Make sure you keep an extremely close eye on the blossoms as they dry.

Place the tray into the low-temperature oven and &#039;bake&#039; for about 5 minutes.  Once the obvious surface moisture has evaporated, proceed to the next step.

Turn the oven off, but leave the blossoms in the oven on the pan.  Check for dryness, and repeat the heating/cooling process again as needed.

Oven Drying (Low Temperature)

Spread the blossoms out on a dehydrator tray.  Cover with a thin towel or another dehydrator tray (the aim is to keep the light flowers from blowing away - take care not to crush them).  Dry at low temperature (about 35°C/95°F) for 6-8 hours, or until the flowers are finished.

Dehydrator Drying

If you choose to dry your cherry blossoms to a point where they still have a moderate amount of moisture, you can gently toss them in an additional 5 g (1 tsp) of sea salt.  This will obviously make them taste saltier, though this is beneficial for many savoury recipes that call for preserved sakura.  Blossoms that are completely dehydrated will keep very well without any additional salting.

Optional Salting

Dried blossoms (either fully dried or partially dried and with added salt) can be stored at room temperature, away from direct sunlight.  They will keep for a year.  Sakura vinegar will keep in the fridge for 6 months or more, as will pickled blossoms.

Storage (All Methods)

A refreshing and unique cocktail made with homemade honeysuckle infused vodka and fresh squeezed lemonade.

Honeysuckle Vodka Lemonade

approximate honeysuckle or honeysuckle and jasmine blossoms

vodka

Tbsp sugar

filtered water

lemons

To make the infused vodka ~ pluck the blossoms from their stems, and discard any leaves or other green parts.

Swish the flowers gently in cold water, then lay out to dry on a clean kitchen towel.

Put the flowers in a large wide mouthed mason jar, or other equivalent container.

Fill the container with vodka.  Make sure the blossoms are completely covered by the liquid.  Cap tightly and keep in a cool dark place for 24 hours, or up to 5 days.  Give it a shake now and then.

Strain the vodka through cheesecloth that is at least 4 layers thick.  Store in a clean jar, tightly capped.  The vodka will keep indefinitely.

To make the lemonade, stir the sugar into the water until it is completely dissolved.  Add the fresh squeezed lemon juice and stir.  Taste to adjust the sweetness if you like.

To make the cocktail, fill a glass with ice.  Add one shot of honeysuckle vodka.  Fill the glass with lemonade, garnish with a slice of lemon and a sprig of honeysuckle.

Stuffed zucchini flowers with tomato salsa

(1 cup) plain flour

milliliters soda water

sea salt

olive oil

brown onion, finely chopped

garlic clove, crushed

breadcrumbs

bocconcini, chopped

black olives, pitted, chopped

tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

lemon rind

zucchini flowers (see Notes)

Vegetable oil, to fry

vine-ripened tomatoes, seeded, chopped

red onion, finely chopped

A showstopping, lemony sponge cake with a delicious lemon curd icing and beautiful edible crystallised violets and primroses on top

Lemon cake

butter 250 grams,

golden caster sugar 250 grams

baking powder 1 tsp

lemons 2, zested

milk 1-2 tsp

butter 250 grams, very soft

icing sugar 500 grams

lemons 3,

lemon curd 1 jar

crystallised flowers

<p>Josh McFadden knows his way around an edible flower. In his cookbook with Martha Holmberg, Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables (May, 2017, Artisan Books), McFadden, the chef-owner of Ava Gene's and other Portland-area restaurants, shares one of the simplest and most beautiful ideas we've seen. Butter becomes a canvas for whatever herbs and edible flowers are in your garden. "I've never put this on a table without it prompting a lot of conversation and happy faces," says McFadden.</p>

Flower and Herb Butter

unsalted butter

green onion, sliced

Petals from edible flowers

Flake sea salt

Pepper

coriander seeds, red chile flakes, and poppy seeds (optional)

Baguettes or crackers

<p>On a platter or board, smear 1 butter 1/8 to 1/4 in. thick, using an offset spatula. Scatter generously with herb leaves. Scatter with sliced green onion, flower petals, salt, and pepper. If you like, add cracked coriander seeds, chile flakes, and poppy seeds. Serve with baguettes.</p>

How to Make Pansy Topped Shortbread Cookies ~ these are my favorite buttery rich shortbread cookies topped with colorful and delicate pressed flowers.  This pretty tea time treat is surprisingly easy to pull off!

How to Make Pansy Topped Shortbread Cookies

unsalted butter ((2 sticks) at room temperature)

all purpose flour

vanilla vanilla bean paste)

fresh pansies (you'll need about 30, give or take)

Put the sugar and soft butter into the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine completely.

Add the flour and extract, and pulse about 10 times, then run the machine briefly, just until the dough comes together into a lump or lumps.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and bring together into a smooth flat disk.  Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm enough to roll, about 2 hours.

While the dough is chilling, remove the stems from the pansies, and place them on a large sheet of waxed paper, or parchment paper.  Place another sheet on top, and then weigh it down with a baking tray or other large flat surface, topped with several heavy books.  Let the pansies press for at least 30 minutes, or overnight if you like.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325F

Roll out the dough to a 1/8 to 1/4 inch thickness and cut out with a cookie cutter.  I used both a 2 inch and a 2 1/2 inch cutter.

Bake the cookies in batches, 1 tray at a time.  Bake the smaller cookies for 7-8 minutes, and the larger ones for 9-11 minutes, depending on thickness.  Your cookies will not brown, they will be pale and soft when done.

Remove the tray from the oven and gently press the flat pansies onto the hot cookies, pressing slightly to adhere the flowers to the cookies.  Don't press too hard, the heat of the cookies will do the job.  Sprinkle lightly with granulated sugar.  Let the cookies cool completely on a rack.

Note: the cookies will be soft  when they come out of the oven, but will firm up as they cool.

Easy homemade rose petal jam recipe made with just a handful of ingredients. Can be used as a spread or a topping for puddings and desserts.

Rose Petal Jam (with Fresh or Dried Roses)

g fresh, edible red rose petals

g white sugar

water

Tbsp pectin

rose water

Place the rose petals and sugar in a bowl and gently rub them together to very lightly bruise the petals. This is to infuse our sugar with the rose aroma.

overnight

Cover with a cling film and leave on the kitchen counter.

THE NIGHT BEFORE (optional step)

chill

Place a small saucer in the freezer to chill, for testing the set.

combine

Combine the sugar and pectin in a bowl. This will prevent your pectin into forming lumps when heated.

simmer

Place the roses, water and sugar/pectin mix in a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer on medium-low heat.

Stir a couple of times to help the sugar dissolve. Don&#39;t worry about the unsightly brown colour, the magic will take place with the lemon juice.

boil

Stir the lemon juice in and increase the heat to medium-high. Bring the mix to a rolling boil and keep it boiling for 10 minutes to thicken and get to its setting point.

test

Now, we&#39;ll test its setting. Take the saucer out of the fridge and place about a quarter tsp of your jam on it. Count to 30, then nudge your jam. If it wrinkles instead of just being a runny liquid, it&#39;s done. If not, keep it boiling for another 2 minutes, and repeat (place the saucer back in the freezer).

store

When you are happy with the set of the jam, take it off the heat and leave to cool for 2 minutes. Then, transfer the whole lot into your sterilised jar and leave and seal.Storage - see post above.

THE NEXT DAY

Find out how to use dried edible rose petals and rose buds in your kitchen PLUS bonus EASY DIY rose sugar recipe!

How to use Dried Edible Rose Petals PLUS Rose Sugar Recipe

Tbsp dried edible rose petals ((not buds) the amount is

rose buds as needed (amount as required by your recipe)

tsp white sugar ((caster

tsp dried edible rose petals (or 2 tsp

Rose petals can be used whole to garnish foods, but grinding them first allows you to enjoy them better. Whole rose petals can sometimes resemble dried pieces of paper, when bitten into. Just tastier!Place the petals into your spice mill and grind to a fairly fine powder.

Scatter this rose petal powder over desserts like mahalabia, rice pudding, halawet el jibn and layali lubnan.Can also be scattered on rice dishes like biryani, pilau and Persian rice dishes like Morasa Pulao. And also savoury dips like raita and this Persian Yoghurt Dip.

As Dessert Topping

Top your desserts (see post above for examples) with the rose buds. Use 2-3 buds per serving, so they can be easily removed.

As a Garnish

Place the rose petals into your coffee or spice mill and grind to a fairly fine powder.

Place the sugar and ground rose petals into a small spice jar and use when needed. Will keep indefinitely, although like spices, its aroma will mellow out after a few months.I&#039;ve given you a very small amount in this recipe. Increase the sugar as you like, and be sure to do the same with the rose petals.

Homemade Rose Sugar

Make these vibrant garden summer rolls by filling rice paper wrappers with edible flowers, prawns, mint, vermicelli noodles, lettuce, ginger, carrot and coriander

Garden summer rolls

smooth peanut butter

soy sauce

mirin

tsp sweet chilli sauce

½ lime, juiced

tsp runny honey

fresh vermicelli rice noodles

rice paper wrappers

60 edible flowers (available from finefoodspecialist.co.uk)

prawns,

mint leaves

iceberg lettuce leaves,

ginger, peeled and very finely julienned

carrot,

coriander, torn

In a bowl, combine the peanut butter, soy, mirin, chilli sauce, lime juice and honey with 40ml of hot water until you have a smooth dipping sauce.

Cook the noodles following pack instructions. Have all the ingredients to hand and fill a large bowl with hot water. Dip one of the wrappers into the hot water for 10 seconds until soft and pliable. Transfer to a damp worksurface and quickly add three to four flowers in a row close to one edge of the wrapper. Layer up with three prawn halves, a mint leaf, some noodles, lettuce, ginger, carrot and coriander.

Using damp hands, start to tightly roll the side that has the filling. When you’re halfway, fold the sides of the rice paper in and over the filling so it’s enclosed. Keep rolling until you have a complete roll. Transfer to a board, making sure the rolls don’t touch, and cover with a damp kitchen towel. Continue with the remaining rolls. Serve with the dipping sauce.

Be sure to use the correct canned milk in this recipe. Sweetened condensed milk is thick and syrupy, and is the right ingredient for this recipe. Do not use evaporated milk, which is liquid and unsweet. If you are a Girl Scouts cookie-buyer (raises hand), this recipe uses one 9 oz. box of Trefoils.

Top 13 edible flowers recipes from across the web

The most viewed edible flowers recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Salted Chocolate Halva

Blackberry Lavender Gin Sour

Preserved Sakura Cherry Blossoms - ...

Honeysuckle Vodka Lemonade

Stuffed zucchini flowers with tomat...

Lemon cake

Flower and Herb Butter

How to Make Pansy Topped Shortbread...

Rose Petal Jam (with Fresh or Dried...

How to use Dried Edible Rose Petals...

Garden summer rolls

Ruby Chocolate Cheesecake

Honeysuckle Ice Cream

Top 13 edible flowers recipes from across the web

The most viewed edible flowers recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Salted Chocolate Halva

Blackberry Lavender Gin Sour

Preserved Sakura Cherry Blossoms - ...

Honeysuckle Vodka Lemonade

Stuffed zucchini flowers with tomat...

Lemon cake

Flower and Herb Butter

How to Make Pansy Topped Shortbread...

Rose Petal Jam (with Fresh or Dried...

How to use Dried Edible Rose Petals...

Garden summer rolls

Ruby Chocolate Cheesecake

Honeysuckle Ice Cream

The most viewed edible flowers recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine