Cherry Blossom Food

CHERRY BLOSSOM CREPES

Steps:

• mix the flour, water, sugar and salt in a bowl. Whisk until smooth then add a teaspoon of sunflower oil.
• mix the food colouring with the water and add to the mix little by little until you get a light pink colour.
• leave to stand for 30 minutes.
• heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan and add enough batter to make a 10cm crepe. cook on one side and turn to cook the other.
• leave to cool.
• form a dsp of paste into a ball and place in the centre of the crepe. fold in half and then half again.
• serve 2 per person with green or jasmine tea.

SUNBURST CHERRY BLOSSOM PIE

Steps:

• For the Pie Crust:
• Place flour, salt and shortening in a bowl. Cut in shortening using a pastry blender until pea-sized pieces form. Add water and toss with a fork until mixture holds together. Refrigerate until chilled. Cut in half and roll out bottom crust to fit 9-inch pie pan. Roll top crust and cut spokes with serrated cutting wheel. Fold spokes to center and set aside.. Extra trim from crust may be use for cutting cherry blossoms.
• For the Cherry Blossoms:
• Roll out excess trimmings from crust. Cut of circles of pie dough to desired size with round cookie cutter. With knife, cut petals. Place dried cheery or half of thawed cherry in center of each blossom and bake on cookie sheet in a preheated 425 degrees F oven. Sprinkle with baking glitter, if desired.
• For the Filling:
• Drain cherries. Place in a glass mixing bowl and microwave until at least room temperature. Pour melted butter over cherries. Mix sugar, vanilla bean seeds and tapioca and add to bowl. Combine cherry juice concentrate, almond extract and food coloring. Pour over cherries and mix gently. Place in pie shell Unfold top crust and cover the filling. Crimp to seal edges. Brush with cream and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake at 425 degrees F for 50 minutes. Cover crust with foil when desired color appears. Remove pie from oven. Decorate with cherry blossoms and glaze.
• For the Glaze:
• Mix together powdered sugar and cream until a thin stream appears when the spoon is lifted from the bowl. Drizzle glaze over pie while still hot.

SALT CURED CHERRY BLOSSOMS

Steps:

• Since full blossom is missing the taste and aroma, it's best to pick the blossoms when they are about 1/2 to 2/3 open. Cut off blossoms making sure to keep some of the green stems (see picture).
• Using lots of water, soak the blossoms to wash. Several changes of water.
• Dry the blossoms completely. Lettuce spinner works really well here.
• Add 40g salt to the blossoms, salt the container and the layers of blossoms.
• Water will start to float up. Lightly squeeze the blossoms. If you have ume vinegar you will use ume vinegar next, but if you do not have ume vinegar, then do not discard the liquid from squeezing the blossoms because you will use this.
• Lightly spread out the blossoms. Straighten the blossoms and stems and place them carefully in the container. Pour in the ume vinegar or if you do not have the ume vinegar, the liquid remaining from squeezing out the blossoms. Place a stone or heavy object to pickle. Keep pickled for 1 week.
• After 1 week discard the liquid and spread the blossoms on flat bamboo or plastic container for drying (with holes for air) outside in the shade. Do not squeeze the blossoms because the aroma and taste will be gone if you squeeze too much. The final result should be somewhat damp blossoms and not dried out blossoms.
• Gather the blossoms and mix gently with 4 T salt and bottle. Keep in refrigerator - keeps for a long time.
• To use, remove the salt by soaking in water or gently washing in water first.

CHERRY BLOSSOM CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Use a little of the butter to grease a deep 23cm cake tin and line with baking parchment. Mix the cherries and 50g of the polenta, then set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugar with an electric whisk until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each addition. Add the remaining polenta, the almonds, baking powder, yogurt, orange blossom water, orange juice and cherry mix, and stir everything until just combined. Tip into the tin, smooth the top and bake for 45 mins or until a skewer comes out clean.
• Meanwhile, make the syrup. Boil the orange juice and sugar for a few mins until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat, add the orange blossom water and let cool. When the cake is done, remove from the oven and pour over the syrup. Leave to cool in the tin for 20 mins, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• To make the cherry icing, put the cherries and icing sugar in a small food processor and blend until smooth. Drizzle all over the cake, then top with whole cherries. Will keep for up to 5 days in a cake tin.

CHERRY BLOSSOM SAUCE

Steps:

• Put the cherry blossoms in a bowl and soak them in cold water
• After washing off the surface salt particles, change the water and continue to soak. After soaking for about 3 to 4 hours, pour out the water (no salty taste is enough)
• Put a small bowl of water in the pot, some rock sugar, boil it over medium heat, add cherry blossoms, and add a little lemon juice
• Turn to low heat, cook for three minutes without boiling, let it cool to 60 degrees, add gelatine, let cool and put it in a jar
• You can soak in honey water, or add sakura sauce to the tea bag in hot water (the picture shows the combination of honey water and sakura sauce)