What recipes do not exist! Sometimes it seems that there is nothing to surprise. But no! Austrian delicacies in the form of candied violets will appeal to lovers of exotic delicacies. Such a dessert can be both an independent dish and decoration of other confectionery products.
Where to buy candied violets?
You have to travel far, because this dessert is far from popular with us. If you decide to visit Vienna, be sure to check out the souvenir shop to get an unusual treat for your loved ones.
By the way, candied violets were the favorite delicacy of Empress Sissi, whose name is widely used in the Austrian tourism business. An original gift in Vienna can cost you as much as thirty euros for one small box. According to reviews, candied violets are easy to make at home. And, if for reasons of economy, you decide to cook this simple dessert yourself - then go! All you need to make candied violets is just flowers, a couple of eggs and some sugar. And if you connect your imagination and work on creating jewelry, you can make a rather original gift.
How to cook an unusual treat?
Before cooking stand to find out that sweet treats are unlikely to be “liking” your diet, because about 420 kilocalories per 100 grams of sweetness. Therefore, those who are on a diet, it is better to refuse such a treat at all.
And if you are a fun kitchen experimenter who is not afraid of highs on the scales, then this recipe for candied violets will seem very tempting.
So, let's start a culinary experiment.
We will need the following:
- 200 grams of granulated sugar;
- 100 grams of violet petals (we don’t need candied stems, right?);
- 2 egg whites.
Cooking Instructions: Preparation
We buy flowers (we collect in the forest, we ask our grandmother - this is your choice), then we need to carefully cut them off the legs as close as possible to the inflorescence. To prepare a gift in the form of candied violets, you need to use fine granulated sugar. If we take the usual one, then it is definitely worth grinding it with a coffee grinder or rolling pin. We complete the preparation of the ingredients by separating the egg white from the yolk.
Process
We need to dip each flower in egg white and remove the excess from the petals.
Then put a layer of crushed sugar on a plate, on top - flowers, and how to powder them with powdered sugar on top. Candied violet flowers should stand like this for about 5 minutes, after which you need to carefully take out the flowers one by one from under the sugar wigwam. Shake off the extra grains of sand from them. Sugar crust should be as thin and slightly moist as possible. Ready flowers must be sent to a baking sheet and put in the oven at 60 degrees Celsius. After some time, the crust should harden and become translucent - through it you can clearly see the bright violet color.
Tips
If you care about your health or the health of loved ones, never use flowers of unknown origin to prepare candied violets. It will be best if you pick flowers from your garden (or your grandmother's garden). You can also buy, but you never know what they watered or fertilized the plant with. Spraying with any inedible chemistry can cause serious poisoning.
Before you cut flowers, you can sprinkle them with boiled water - this will help get rid of dust and dirt. Completely dried candied flowers (in this case, without the use of eggs - with them the treat will last no more than 5 days) is better to transfer to a transparent jar and store for 6 months in the refrigerator. At room temperature, they will last half as much. If desired, flowers can be aromatized by adding vanillin, cinnamon, cardamom, etc. to the jar, if desired.
Caution!
If you have asthma or a tendency to allergies, it is best to refrain from using candied violet flowers. Since our people are stubborn and naughty, there is a good chance that there will be enthusiasts who are “knee-deep”, and they will go to collect violets of unknown origin. In this situation, the following should be considered: flowers should grow at least 500 meters from the motorway. If you do not know what real violets look like, it is better to familiarize yourself with the photo in advance, as an unfamiliar flower can cause severe poisoning. Of course, you can replace violets with other flowers, but again you need to know if they are edible. After collecting violets in the corollas, there should not be insects and dirt, this is a simple rule that must also be observed.
Reviews about "flower chips"
Those who have tried caramelized violet flowers note the unusual taste of dessert and presentable appearance. The most common souvenir in Vienna has come down to us - people speak with enthusiasm about flower chips. Basically, people prefer to buy this dessert than to cook. Moreover, in a quality package and with a beautiful design, the souvenir looks simply attractive - you just want to open the box and see the bag with the contents. People notice a perfume smell when opening a souvenir Viennese dessert. This aroma does not repel at all, it just seems unusual.
The shape of the petal is preserved and can be well seen. Petals are bright saturated purple. Manufacturers note that they do not use chemical dyes.
It tastes like a petal lollipop. People say that violets have a sweetish, slightly powdery taste mixed with something incomprehensible, but definitely pleasant.
It is much more interesting to gnaw a petal than to dissolve. Crisp on the outside, and inside a delicate and very thin petal with a mild taste. Once having tried the caramelized violet petals, they begin to think about where to get the candied flowers of lilac, rose and other flowers coming into this production. Such a dessert cannot be called a full-fledged dessert, it is rather fun, a whim.
Candied Flower Decorations
If you are not too lazy and independently prepared an unusual treat, you can use it as an elegant decor. For example, you can decorate a biscuit chocolate cake with sour cream and berries - lay out the rings throughout the dessert design. In fact, the options for decorating are endless. Here everything will depend only on your imagination. You can also cook a variety of edible sachets with fruits, berries and candied flowers. Believe me, such a dessert will undoubtedly amaze guests with its elegance.
So we learned all the intricacies of the preparation and use of candied violets. If you liked this delicacy, hurry to share it with your loved ones!