Gives the hint of violets in anything calling for regular sugar--iced or
hot tea, lemonade, baked goods, dessert sauces.
1/2 C flowers, harvested, rinsed, spun dry,
1 C white sugar
Rinse the flowers and spin them very dry in a salad spinner or
pillowcase. Place half of the sugar into a small shallow bowl with a
flat bottom. Spread the violets over the sugar. Top with the remaining
sugar and lightly crush the sugar into the violets using the base of a
heavy drinking glass or a mortar and pestle. Cover the bowl with a
clean, thin, dry dish towel until the flowers are completely dried out,
which could be a couple of days depending on the humidity in your area.
Sift through an open strainer. Bottle the sugar and the sugared flowers
separately. Cap and store in a cool dark place. NOTE: This is a much
easier way to crystallize flowers, but you need to use light pressure
when crushing them into the sugar.
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Caution: See Caution in main article.