At first glance these beautiful pineapple flowers may seem a bit of a faff to make but they are in fact extremely easy and well worth making for an extra special occasion or even if you are just feeling a little frivolous.
I have been itching to make these for years but have never found the right cake to display them on.
Recently the perfect opportunity arose when I decided to make a Coconut and White Chocolate Cake for Mothers Day, the tropical combination was a match made in heaven.
They can be used as in picture, piled up as a centrepiece on one large cake or as individual toppers on single cup cakes, which would look equally stunning.
I dried mine on top of a selection of oil and vinegar bottles, with a piece of baking paper scrunched over the tops. The inside of an egg carton would probably work but I didn’t have one to hand so had to improvise.
- 1 Fresh Pineapple
- 1 Tablespoon Caster Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Water
- Preheat a low oven to 100c (210f)
- Top and tail the pineapple and peel, removing as many of the eyes as you can.
- Slice as thinly as you can with a very sharp knife. it doesn't matter if the edges are a bit 'frondy' as this will make the prettiest flowers.
- Cut as many slices as you want flowers. This amount of syrup will coat about 12.
- Put the water and sugar in a small pan and heat gently until the sugar has melted.
- Boil for one minute
- Brush the pineapple slices on both sides with the syrup and lay them on a wire tray, laid over a baking sheet.
- Put in the oven for approx. one hour until they are turning a lovely golden brown. Leave a little longer if necessary.
- Whilst waiting cover the tops of 12 bottles, each with a small square of baking paper.
- When the pineapple comes out of the oven, removed each slice, pinch in the middle to make a flower shape and turn upside down to dry over the top of a bottle. (Or egg box, or something else if you can think of an alternative!)
- Voila, you have beautiful, edible flowers!
I’m going to have a go at these (with the cake) for the office on Tuesday – were having a meeting followed by lunch & I think this for afters. Ive inconsiderately arranged the meeting on Melbourne Cup Day which is quite a big deal her, so this will soften the blow, plus we’ll have a sweep & a glass of bubbly for the race, so all should be forgiven.