Using Edible Flower Petals in Food

There is a delightful trend that has been popping up in the media quite a bit lately and that is cake decorating with edible flower petals. Commercially this has been around for a while. Now more and more home cooks are trying this out too.

The petals of roses, calendula, hibiscus, Gerber daisy, violets, pansies, and sunflowers are all edible. However, many flowers like Lily of the Valley, oleander and hydrangea are inedible or outright poisonous, so it is a good idea to check first.

If you decide you want to experiment with this, I recommend searching for organic flower petals commercially. These are often grown in greenhouses and are protected from environmental pollution as well as pesticides.

Flower petals are not just for sweets. They can be added to salads too. While Naturopathic Medicine places a great deal of importance on maintaining a healthy diet, an occasional treat is also part of living a good life. It is a question, as always, of moderation. So when you do have something special, it will feel more satisfying when you enjoy it thoroughly!

You can read more about making fresh flowers edible here.

Candied Rose Petals

20 to 50 organic rose petals
1 egg white
1 cup caster or superfine baker’s sugar
Baking parchment

(All quantities are approximate.)

Lightly beat the egg white.
Use a fork to brush the rose petals with egg white. You can use tweezers t hold the petal.
Dust each petal evenly with fine sugar.
Place the dusted petal on the parchment to dry. Do not let individual flower petals tough each other while drying.
Drying takes 2+ hours.