Viola Shortbread | Recipe

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Violas are such pretty little flowers and are a great addition to any pot or border in the coming seasons. But they are not just great in the garden, but can be used in the kitchen too!

Violas are edible and can be used in a number of different and exciting ways. These including crystallising them to use on the top of cakes and desserts, decorating biscuits and freezing them in ice cubes. These are all really pretty ways to bring colour and excitement to an afternoon tea or dinner party!

Our favourite way to use Violas in our cooking is to decorate shortbread biscuits with them. Not only are these cute little biscuits stunning but they are really tasty too!

Prepare your violas before eating: Carefully pick the viola flower from the plant. Shake the flowers to remove any insects or dirt. Remove the stem. Wash the flowers very carefully using cold water in a spray and a strainer. Spread out on a paper towel and allow to air dry.

Viola Shortbread

Ingredients

For the biscuits:
4oz butter
2oz caster sugar
6oz plain flour

For the Violas:
handful of viola flowers
caster sugar
1 x egg white lightly whisked

Method

  1. Preheat your oven to gas mark 5/190C/375F.
  2. Beat butter and sugar together in a bowl until smooth.
  3. Add the flour and mix together until it forms a soft dough.
  4. Roll out the dough until it is 1cm thick then cut into rounds.
  5. Transfer the rounds to a greased baking tray then refrigerate for 15 mins.
  6. Bake for 15 mins until slightly underdone. Leave your oven on.
  7. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and allow to cool slightly.
  8. Gather together your prepared viola heads, whisked egg whites and sugar in separate bowls.
  9. One by one, gently immerse your viola flower in the egg whites then smooth out on to the surface of one of the biscuits. (A small clean paintbrush may help at this stage.
  10. Smooth down the flower as you go, and cover the while top surface of the biscuit is a think coat of egg white.
  11. Sprinkle the surface with sugar.
  12. Apply this process to each of your cookies then return to the oven for a further 7 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
  13. Set aside on a wire rack until cool

Download our printable how to guide and make your won batch! Remember to take a photo of your finished creations and send email them to us to display on our gallery!

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