There has been so much chat on my social media feeds about last week’s mini heatwave.
We Brits are obsessed with the weather aren’t we? It’s either too wet, hot, cold, too snowy or windy. We don’t ever seem to agree on what’s the perfect temperature.
I think — a bit like queuing — it’s just something that we like talking about; something that’s built into our cultural DNA.
I think, however, we all agree that it’s been a very, very long and drawn out winter. It felt never-ending at times.
I even began (seriously) to think that The Gulf Stream was irreparably broken.
Our garden has been really slow to acknowledge the arrival of spring too.
The borders have lacked their usual early spring colour and it’s really only over the last few days that the blossom has exploded into life and the tulips are beginning to show off their vibrant petals.
That said, I managed to get some spring florals in my life by other means!
I met a lovely lady called Zöe, over on Instagram last year, who’s set up a little business selling little pots of floral goodness.
And best of all, her flowers are edible!
Zöe was kind enough to send me a jar of her first blooms of the year — the perfect antidote to the miserable weather we’d been having — literally a little taste of spring in a jar.
I decided to make some simple edible flower shortbread biscuits — super easy — but with the addition of their beautiful toppings, they looked a million dollars.
It’s a really easy recipe. The shortbread is very quick to make and the decorations are even quicker!
Quick View of What You'll Find on This Page
How to Make Edible Flower Biscuits
You will need:
For the biscuits —
125g butter
55g caster sugar
180g plain flour
To decorate —
icing Sugar
cold water
edible flowers
caster sugar
Method:
Heat your oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.
Beat the butter and the sugar together, then stir in the flour to create a smooth paste.
Roll into a ball, then cover and leave in the fridge to cool for 20 minutes.
Next, gently roll out the ball of chilled dough on a floured work-surface, until around 1cm thick.
Cut into rounds and place onto a baking tray.
Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes (or until the biscuits are a pale golden-brown colour).
Set aside to cool on a wire rack.
To Decorate
I decided not to use egg white to crystallise my edible flowers.
As my twins have an egg allergy, I’m always trying to come up with egg free solutions for things — like our favourite egg-free pancakes and egg-free royal icing — so I decided to try and create the same kind of effect with just sugar and water.
I made a really simple frosting using icing sugar and a little water, and painted it onto each biscuit.
(I’ve not put quantities for this — it really was as simple as mixing a couple of tea-spoons of icing sugar in a little water. Just experiment until you get a consistency that you’re happy with.)
Then, after carefully washing each flower, I pressed the petals into the icing, soaking each one with the sugary liquid, then sprinkling caster sugar onto the top of each one to finish off.
Herbal Remedies
It was lovely decorating the shortbread cookies with edible flowers (and quite a therapeutic pastime); pulling the stems off, then carefully pressing them into the icing. Such a lovely thing to do on an afternoon when rain stops play.
Gently pulling away each petal reminded me of the rhyme we’d say when we were children;
He loves me, he loves me not…
I can say that my boys definitely love me; especially when there is a sweet treat involved.
I had quite an audience.
But despite the two pairs of hungry eyes watching my every move, I put the finished pressed flower cookies well out of the reach of tiny hands, until the icing had hardened and the biscuits were ready.
Floral Fancies
These little edible flower biscuits are the perfect addition to a spring tea-party.
For all their simplicity to make, they look pretty fancy! They’re a real showstopper and make a lovely centrepiece when you want to impress; especially when you pair them with pretty tableware like the Spring Florals range from Laura Ashley.
Or — equally — as in our case (we had no-one to impress), they’re a lovely way to while away an afternoon; both in the making and the eating.
You’d think the texture of the flowers would be a bit odd (in my mind I imaged eating lettuce with shortbread) but they literally melt in the mouth.
{I wonder if they constitute one of your five-a-day?}
Nutritional content aside, they certainly brightened up a grey Easter.
Despite the grey, moody skies overhead, the boys and I had a carpet picnic, surrounded by spring blooms.
Easy Shortbread Biscuit Recipe (Just Three Ingredients)
These delicious biscuits are so simple to make, they're delicious when served plain — but look so beautiful decorated with edible spring flowers.
Ingredients
- 55g caster sugar
- 125g butter
- 180g plain flour
Instructions
1. Heat your oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5. Beat the sugar and butter together, until light and fluffy, then stir in the flour to create a smooth paste.
3. Roll into a ball, cover then leave in the fridge to cool. 20 minutes is usually long enough. Then, roll out the ball of chilled dough on a floured work surface. The rolled dough needs to be around 1cm thick.
4. Cut your biscuit shapes from the dough and place them onto a baking tray, then bake for 15-20 minutes in the preheated oven (or until the biscuits are a pale golden-brown colour).
7. Pop them on a wire rack to cool.
8. If you want to elevate this easy shortbread biscuit recipe to something really special, you can decorate them with edible flowers. Whilst the shortbread is cooling, mix a couple of teaspoons of icing sugar in a little water, and experiment until you get a consistency that you're happy with. Wash each flower, then press the petals into the icing, soaking each one with the sugary liquid, then sprinkling caster sugar onto the top of each one to finish off.
Repeat the process until you've decorated all the shortbread biscuits with edible flowers, then leave to dry.
Nutrition Information
Yield 12 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 192Total Fat 9gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 22mgSodium 72mgCarbohydrates 27gFiber 0gSugar 15gProtein 2g
Calculations was calculated by Nutritionix and is approximate.
Caro Davies is a former art-director turned writer and content-creator, and editor behind UK lifestyle blog The Listed Home. She writes about home-related topics, from interiors and DIY to food and craft. The Listed Home has been featured in various publications, including Ideal Home, Grazia, and Homes & Antiques magazines.
Thanks lovely! So pleased with how they turned out!
They look utterly beautiful Caro! I’ve never tried edible flowers before – I think I might have to rectify that now I’ve seen this post. They’re so pretty!
Thanks so much Chloe! I was so pleased with them — they tasted as good as they looked too! :)
Wow Caro, these look incredible and so beautifully styled too! What a stunning addition to an afternoon tea. I’ve never heard of edible flowers before. xx
They’re SO delicious Suzanne! Easier than icing them too ;)
These are so pretty, they almost look too good to eat. Gorgeous photography too xx
Thanks so much Jo — that’s so kind of you xx
Oh my goodness Caro, these are just so pretty! Perfect for an afternoon tea or baby shower. x
Thanks Morgana! And YES! They’d make great wedding favours too!