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Flowers that can be used for culinary purposes are usually delicate but they can be saved for later use by drying them.
Steps
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1Select edible flowers that will dry well. Such edible flowers include lavender, rose, hibiscus, violets, pansies/violas, nasturtiums, marigolds (calendula, French marigold), chamomile, Borage and chives. There are many more too––read up on edible flowers to find more choices.
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2Wash the flowers. Rinse quickly under cold water and gently shake off any drops of water still present. Allow the flowers to dry thoroughly before going ahead with the drying process.Advertisement
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3If you don't have a commercial dehydrator, use paper towel.
- Arrange paper towel in a warm, breeze-free spot in the kitchen or some other convenient place in your house.
- Place the flowers across the paper towel (use as many pieces as needed) and avoid overlapping any flowers (keep them all separate).
- Leave them to dry. They should dry within a day or two.
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4Alternatively, use a commercial dehydrator. Follow the instructions provided with the dehydrator. Again, avoid overlapping the flowers while they're drying.
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5If you have a lot of flowers and they have long stems, tie them together in a bunch. Hang them from somewhere to dry in the same manner that herbs are dried.
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6Store the dried edible flowers with care. Before storing, ensure that the flowers are completely dry. Any moisture in them still will cause the growth of mildew and they'll have to be discarded.
- Store the flowers in an airtight container and keep them away from light.
- Store in a cool and dry location.
- Dried edible flowers can also be stored in sugar.
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7Use the dried edible flowers in recipes calling for edible flowers. Many of the flowers will be rehydrated with the addition of a little water while others can simply be added straight to jams, jellies and drinks for immediate use.
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Warnings
- Know your flowers––only use flowers that you are absolutely certain are edible.⧼thumbs_response⧽
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Things You'll Need
- Paper towel or commercial dehydrator
- Hanging rack for long-stemmed flowers (optional)
- Storage containers
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