Sugar Glazed Violets Recipes

SUGAR GLAZED WALNUTS

Steps:

• Lightly grease a baking sheet. In a 1 quart glass measure, combine walnut halves, sugar, and water. Cook in microwave oven on high setting for 8 to 8 1/2 minutes, or until sugar has caramelized. Stir several times during cooking. Pour out onto prepared baking sheet, and separate into pieces. Let cool completely. store in an airtight container.

CONFECTIONERS' SUGAR GLAZE

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, water and vanilla; stir until combined and smooth (mixture will be thick). Tint with food coloring if desired. With a butter knife or small metal spatula, lightly spread glaze on cooled cookies. Let dry for 1 hour.

BASIC SUGAR GLAZE

Steps:

• 1. Place the sugar in a medium bowl and slowly stir in the milk and vanilla, a little at a time, to make a smooth, pourable glaze.

SUGARED FLOWERS

Steps:

• Whisk egg white with water in a small bowl. Working with 1 flower at a time and holding it with tweezers, brush egg wash over entire surface of flower using a small paintbrush. Sprinkle with sugar. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment to crisp flowers. Let stand at room temperature overnight. Sugared flowers can be stored in single layers in airtight containers at room temperature for up to 3 months.

CANDIED VIOLETS

Steps:

• In a bowl, beat egg whites with a wire whisk just until frothy. Place sugar in another bowl. Taking one violet at a time, pick it up by the stem and dip into egg whites, covering all surfaces. Gently dip into the sugar, again being sure all of the petals, top and bottom, are covered. Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets; snip off stems. Using a toothpick, open petals to original shape. Sprinkle sugar on any uncoated areas. Dry in a 200° oven for 30-40 minutes or until sugar crystallizes. Gently remove violets to wire racks with a spatula or two-tined fork. Sprinkle again with sugar if violets appear syrupy. Cool. Store in airtight containers with waxed paper between layers.

CHOCOLATE-GLAZED CHEESECAKE WITH VIOLETS

Steps:

• Using the butter, coat the inside bottom and 2 inches up the sides of a 10-C mold or 10-inch Bunt pan.
• Sprinkle mold with graham-cracker crumbs, shaking mold to evenly coat the inside completely. Turn mold upside down to remove excess crumbs.
• Heat oven to 325°F
• In large bowl, with electric mixer at medium speed, beat cream cheese until softened and fluffy.
• Beat in sugar until well mixed.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• With rubber spatula, fold in violet petals and vanilla until well mixed.
• Pour mixture into prepared mold.
• Set filled mold in a 13- by 9-inch baking pan and place on the lower oven rack.
• Pour boiling water into pan to a depth of about 1 inch. Bake cheesecake 1 1/2 hours or until almost set in the center. If using Bunt pan, bake 1 1/4 hours.
• Turn off oven; let cake stand in oven 30 minutes longer.
• Remove cheesecake from the water bath and cool in the mold to room temperature on wire rack.
• Cut a piece of cardboard into a round to fit exactly over the cheesecake.
• Loosen the cake around the side of mold. Unmold cake onto the cardboard round and place on a wire rack set over a jelly-roll pan.
• Prepare Chocolate Glaze: In double boiler over hot, not boiling water, melt butter with chocolate squares Stir until smooth and cool to lukewarm.
• Pour half of glaze over top of cheesecake, and with small metal spatula, carefully spread to evenly cover side, allowing excess to drip into pan below.
• Refrigerate cake just until glaze hardens.
• Meanwhile, keep remaining glaze at room temperature. If glaze hardens, re-heat in hot water just until spoon able.
• Pour and evenly spread remaining glaze over cake.
• Refrigerate cheesecake at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Just before serving, transfer cheesecake to serving plate.
• Garnish top with Candied Violets and decorate plate with violet leaves, if desired.

BASIC SUGAR GLAZE

Steps:

• Place the sugar in a bowl and whisk in the water until the glaze is smooth. Add water, drop by drop, to achieve desired consistency.
• Drizzle freely with a spoon over cookies. May also be applied with a feather or a pastry brush.

SUGAR GLAZE FOR GINGER PUMPKIN BREAD

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix confectioners' sugar with 2 to 3 tablespoons water until mixture is smooth but thick. Place waxed paper under rack for a quick cleanup. For easy pouring, transfer glaze to a liquid-measuring cup, and drizzle over loaves. Let dry 15 minutes before serving. Makes enough for 2 loaves.

CONFECTIONERS' SUGAR GLAZE

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in small bowl; stir until smooth.

HOMEMADE CRYSTALLISED FLOWERS - VIOLETS

Steps:

• PLEASE NOTE - IMPORTANT INFORMATION.
• Crystallised flowers are for decoration only, and should not be eaten. Research the flower, herb or plant you want to use. Check for any type of toxicity, and possible allergic or other reactions through contact with other foods, implements, skin or inhaling. Your guests may have allergies or medical conditions too.
• Just some of the toxic flowers include foxglove, oleander, daffodil, delphinium and hyacinth. This list is not comprehensive. Organically grown flowers are best, as commercially grown flowers may have pesticide or other chemical residue. Even if something is not meant to be eaten, it is not advised to use non-edible or potentially harmful plants in presentations.
• Choose flowers according to season, availability, occasion, colour scheme or theme.
• Place the clean dry flowers on a breadboard, baking tray or flat surface.
• Beat the egg white to a light foam. Brush the flowers all over with beaten egg white, using a soft pastry brush.
• Sprinkle flowers all over with the caster sugar immediately. The sugar needs to stick to the egg white before it dries.
• Leave for approx one hour or more until fully set. You can also sit the finished flowers on a baking tray lined with ovenproof paper in a warm oven (switched off).
• Once they have dried, they will be hard and brittle; store them carefully in an airtight tin for up to 2 months.
• TIPS:.
• Leave the stalks on small flowers such as violets, it helps you to pick them up and paint the egg white on them.
• Experiment with a few flowers to be sure you have it right, before doing a full batch for a special occasion.
• Use a flour sifter to help coat the flowers with sugar evenly. A tea infuser or tea ball can be filled with caster sugar and used in the same way as a sifter, as long as the mesh is the right size.
• Toothpicks may help to manoeuvre flowers once they are coated, without touching them with your hands, and undoing all your good work.