How to Sugar Pansies

Garnish is Queen! It adds beauty, color, appeal and interest to your tea tray. Edible pansies are a beautiful and colorful edible garnish.

At this time of the season when pansies are beginning to fade, you can preserve them by crystallizing them with thinned egg whites and super fine sugar.

You will need tweezers, a metal tea infuser with handles or a small sieve, a small paint brush designated for food use, and parchment paper. You will also need powdered egg whites; these are pasteurized and safe to eat, and super fine sugar.

Use only pesticide free pansies with stems removed. Gently paint both sides of pansy petals with thinned egg whites made to package directions. Add a little water to thin them. While holding pansy with tweezers over a small bowl, sprinkle both sides with super fine sugar. Shake off excess sugar. Put pansy on parchment paper to dry. You may have to turn pansies occasionally to speed the drying process. When dry, store in container with tight fitting lid away from light. Use as a garnish on cakes, tarts, cookies, lemon curd, etc.