Romanticize 27: Candied Violets
Turn wildflowers into sugared garnishes that are as delicious as they are beautiful.
The lawn is positively bejeweled at this time of year, its neon green grassy expanse punctuated by shards of bright yellow dandelions and deep purple violets. I’ve made dandelion fritters and violet lemonade, and for today’s Romanticize I’ve discovered yet another way to transform this season’s gorgeous edible flower bounty.
The Romanticize
Create candied violets.
The Advice
Regarding the violets: first, pick them from your own property or another area where you can legally forage. Second, make sure the spot has not been treated with chemicals or exposed to pollutants. Third, be confident that you know how to identify wild violets (there are a few inedible flowers that look similar)—do your due diligence with online research or a flower guidebook if you’re unsure.
You’ll need a mason jar or small bowl of fresh-picked violets (work fast, because they wilt quickly), sifted powdered sugar, and one egg white whisked until it’s frothy. I’ve read that you can use chia egg as a vegan substitute, but I haven’t tested it. Leave the stems on the violets for easy handling (you can remove them once the flowers are dry).
Dip the violets into the egg, then the powdered sugar, then place them on a parchment-lined sheet pan (some sources direct you to use paper towels instead of parchment—I wouldn’t recommend that, as the delicate petals stick and pull off very easily).
Refrigerate the sheet pan of flowers for 24 hours, then take it out and leave them in a room-temperature area for another 24 hours. Depending on the weather and how much moisture is in the air, they may need an extra day or two to dry. Conversely, you can also skip all these steps by placing the flowers in a dehydrator until they’re dry and crisp to the touch.
Remove the stems and store the flowers in an air-tight container for up to two months.
Here’s an Instagram reel I made of the process, to illustrate.
The Inspiration
I loved having an excuse to sit on the lawn amongst the swaths of wild violets and concentrate only on the meditative act of picking and placing them into a bowl.
As for dipping, I initially overlooked the tip about whisking the egg white and definitely suggest you don’t do as I did—the gloopy consistency made coating the delicate flowers much more difficult. Once whisked, the whites are thinner and it’s easier to shake off the excess.
I found that the flowers folded in on themselves upon being dipped, and I had to flatten them before placing them in the sugar; I used one hand as the “dry” dipping hand and another as the “wet” coating hand. My fingers quickly became crusted with sugar, so you’ll want to keep paper towels handy. The sugar also became lumpy as more liquid-covered flowers passed through, and I found I needed to re-sift it a few times throughout the process, lest unsightly round clumps adhere to the violets.
As I mentioned above, I recommend drying these on the most non-stick surface possible. Even the parchment stuck a bit, and the flowers are very, very delicate. Make sure they’re completely dry before you try to remove and store them.
The sugared violets are so yummy—they taste sweet and grapey. You can place these delectable pops of spring into a jar and give them as a gift, or use them to garnish everything from baked goods to ice cream to cocktails.
I’d love to know the results of your Romanticize—feel free to share your experience in the comments, or tag me on Instagram. Until next Wednesday, fellow romantics!