Sunday, February 12, 2012

Candied Rose Petals & Why I don't care about Valentine's

It's my birthday on Valentine's Day.  So, why did I decide to run a secret supper that day and cook for three days straight for 16 guests?  Because, I don't really care about Valentine's Day or my birthday.  I'm going to Cuba in a week!


The menu is centered around  love and truffles.  White truffles, black truffles and chocolate truffles.  For the chocolate truffles I wanted to add a delicate crunch and some colour to the presentation.  I'm going to nestle each truffle in a rose petal.  One thing about candying flower petals is that they usually taste pretty green and slightly bitter.  I don't mind the bitter contrast, but I'm going to add a little orange zest to the egg white to bring some dimension to the flavour.  Here's the recipe..

Ingredients:
2 Roses - pick your colour
1/2 cup sugar (chose whatever grade you want, berry sugar is a nice fine grind)
1 egg white - beat with a whisk to break up
dash of vanilla or zest from an orange (add to egg white to flavour)

Instructions:
  • Pick some roses from your garden or find a flower store that you trust to sell you food grade roses.  Or throw caution to the wind and buy a regular ole rose. 
  • Spread a 1 mm thick coat of sugar onto parchment paper. 
  • Use a pastry brush or clean small paint brush to spread egg white lightly on each rose petal.  Make sure all surfaces are coated.
  • Put each petal on the sugar, then dust with more sugar to coat the top.
  • Leave out on counter for 24 hours or until dry.
Place artfully on a cake or use to cup a chocolate truffle to give to your lover.

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