Angelica???

[Rhona]

I'm doing a traditional Chrimbo trifle and want to decorate with angelica. Has anyone ever grown/candied their own? I must confess that I barely know what it is but 'tis part of the recipe I'm doing and quite fancied the look and sound of it.

[BrideXIII]

not grown it, but i know its stem and root that you candy.

[Snadger]

Angelica is a massive umbeliferous herb! That's all I know about it...........I was going to grow it last year but grew marshmallow instead............wasn't impressed with that (just like a glorified lavatera) so may try growing Angelica as a specimen plant next year. Probably better to buy it as a small plant purchased from GC as you only need one!

[valmarg]

Angelica is a member of the cow parsley family, and I think angelica officinalis is the plant to grow to candy.

I can remember my gran using it to decorate cakes and trifles. She bought it ready candied. I think if you look around in health food shops and specialist grocery stores you should still be able to get it. The reason I say this is, that before you go to the trouble of growing the plant and candying the stems you should taste it. It is what I would politely term 'an acquired taste'.

valmarg

[BrideXIII]

Angelica is a member of the cow parsley family, and I think angelica officinalis is the plant to grow to candy.

I can remember my gran using it to decorate cakes and trifles. She bought it ready candied. I think if you look around in health food shops and specialist grocery stores you should still be able to get it. The reason I say this is, that before you go to the trouble of growing the plant and candying the stems you should taste it. It is what I would politely term 'an acquired taste'.

valmarg

lol politely put, i would have said 'manky tasting', cant stand the stuff myself

[Rhona]

Might use a smashed Flake and a bag of Jelly Tots then!

[BrideXIII]

Might use a smashed Flake and a bag of Jelly Tots then!

sounds much more traditional to me

[Snadger]

I assumed it was tasteless and the stems were just used to absorb the sugar?.............I may have to have a re-think about this!

[lynda66]

Might use a smashed Flake and a bag of Jelly Tots then!

now you're talking

[Hilary B]

When I was little my Mum used to make tiny iced cakes decorated with a 'flower'. The blossom was half a glace cherry and the stem and leaves were small pieces of angelica. I don't remember it tasting of anything apart from sugar. There is a wild angelica, but it doesn't work for candying......

[Mcbee]

if you want to buy some, i got some from sainsburys last year - from the Baking dept. Otherwise try a Cake specialist, they might have some.