The Candied Violettes are violet flowers which seem to be sprinkled with brine due to their preparation. This sweet is difficult to find, since the traditional production method is rather long and difficult, and are thus not easily found in the market. Ingredients are sugar, arabic gum and fresh flowers. Produced in spring.
Production Area
The production area is Borgo San Dalmas in the Province of Cuneo.
How it is made
Fresh and healthy flowers are used to make these candied violets, which are perferably gathered early in the morning by cutting the stalk at about a centimetre from the flower. It would be advisabe to start with flowers cultivated in the open field.
The well dried flowers are passed in a suspension of gum arabic and is laid manually, petal by petal, so as to widen the flower. Then the petals are sprinkled with granulated sugar and placed in a box with a dual bottom, the upper one of which is a grid fitted with a tap to discharge the syrup. A cold sugar syrup that is described as "brilliant" is poured to cover the flowers. This tool is placed in a heater at 30-35°C for six hours.
The syrup is made to drain through the tap and the flowers are dried in a warm place.
History
Candied Violets belong to the ancient Piedmont tradition: the flowers were made into candies and served with "Marron glacè."
