Crystallized rose petals and marzipan

This week's culinary excursion began with last week's unsuccessful attempt at Bakewell Tart which I won't bore you with. Suffice it to say that I used regular Israeli coarsely ground almonds, and it was all wrong. My daughter-in-law put her finger on it when she said "it doesn't have the marzipany taste of the original."

Marzipan! That put me on the right track, looking for finely ground blanched almonds - which to my delight I found, from a new Israeli firm called Maimon - run, I suspect by French immigrants who wanted quality baking ingredients that were hitherto unavailable in Israel.

I discovered on the Internet that in Germany, the original home of marzipan:

• Marzipan must be two thirds ground almonds to use the name "marzipan" 
• Rose water is used in addition to egg white for binding.

There's your recipe right there - I thought to myself - and so I used:

• 200g finely ground blanched almonds
• 100g icing sugar
• 1 egg white
• 1 Tbs rosewater

And I had my marzipan.

But somehow my mind was running ahead of me, and the mention of rosewater took me on an internet search for kosher violet and rose creams - or at least a recipe so I could make them myself.

Quintessentially English and devised by the Victorians. A soft fondant cream mixed with violet or rose water and dipped in dark chocolate topped with crystallised violet or rose petals.

Sadly, I didn't find any kosher ones, and the requirement for double cream stymied me (it's unknown in Israel) but on one site I found this priceless quote:

People often tell us they are buying our violet creams for their grandmother - but we know better.

Just so! Just what I would have said to the shopkeeper! But of course they're for me - though intricately wound up with my memories of my grandmother, and various other old ladies of my childhood.

So I started looking for crystallized petal recipes and got this basic idea:

• Pick and wash the petals (buds are best as the petals can be used whole and they tend to be thicker than larger petals - which is good)
• Paint them with a mixture of egg white and rosewater using a paintbrush
• While damp, sprinkle liberally on both sides with icing sugar
• Spread the sugar evenly with the damp paint brush
• Sprinkle with granulated sugar
• Leave overnight to dry
• Turn petals over to dry other side

By this morning they were dry on one side and I turned them over. In a couple more hours they were completely dry.

So here are my rosewater flavored marzipans, enrobed in bittersweet chocolate and decorated with crystallized rose petals from our garden. But you'd better come over quickly if you want any. They won't last long.