How to Decorate With Sugar Crystals

Sugar crystals add sparkle to desserts and decorations and make any gathering special. You may be planning a large holiday or birthday celebration that could use an unusual flair or an intimate dinner party in need of elegance. Natural and refined sugar in either small or large crystal sizes is the perfect companion to a dessert tray. With a little time and a large imagination, you can transform everyday cakes, cookies and flowers into spectacular delicacies.

• 1

  Choose the type of sugar that you want to use for your decorating. Unrefined sugar tends to have larger crystals and a honey color, while refined sugar is pure white and smaller.

• 2

  Prepare your desserts or decorations. For edible desserts, such as cakes and cookies, cover the items with a layer of icing to serve as a sticky surface for the sugar. Prepare the flower petals by washing them and then whipping egg whites in a bowl with a wire whisk until the egg is slightly frothy but still thin, approximately one minute or less. Brush the petals with a thin layer of whipped egg white.

• 3

  Sprinkle the desserts or decorations with a thin layer of sugar before the icing or egg white dries. Shake the sugar from a spoon, or use a sifter to ensure a thin application. Allow the icing and egg white to dry, gluing the sugar in place.

• 4

  Place the cakes or cookies on a serving plate, and arrange the sugared flower petals around the confections for an elegant dessert tray.