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Candy Flowers
With spring holidays upon us, we asked decorator Jacklyn Butler for a cake garnish even a child could create. Presto: sugared flowers. Jacklyn, who not only decorates grand homes but also creates elaborate party sets for local gentry, brought violets from her garden, miniature ornamental oranges, snapdragons, marigolds, and pansies to our test kitchens—and we played. “When I was a child, I used to pilfer pansies from my neighbor Mrs. Steene’s huge pansy bed. I’d bring them home and set each bloom in a separate little jar. I love playing with pansies.†Jacklyn cautions readers to make sure flowers are edible before using them—or at least nonpoisonous, as in the case of the tiny oranges she used on the cupcake shown here. Most supermarkets now sell edible flowers in the refrigerator case in the produce section.
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| 1 What you’ll need: flowers; egg whites; a thin, clean paintbrush; tweezers (optional); and fine granulated sugar. | 2 Simply paint the entire surface of the flower with egg white, being careful to keep the glaze thin and even. Set each flower aside for a minute before covering with sugar. | 3 Sprinkle sugar over the entire surface of the flower, being careful not to bruise the petals. Now decorate your cake! |
Designer Jacklyn Butler of Jacklyn M. Butler Associates, 3007 Maple Ave., Ste. 409. 214-740-1658.
