How to Make a Sugar Gerber Daisy

Make sugar Gerber daisies from regular granulated sugar.

Sugar candies, such as Gerber daisies, are used on cakes, cupcakes and other desserts as decorations. Sugar candies are pretty confections that can be eaten alone or along with the dessert. You may recognize sugar candy from traditional sugar Easter eggs or sugar skulls made popular by the Mexican holiday, Dia De Los Muertos. Sugar candy is made from silicone or plastic candy molds and requires no cooking. Make sugar Gerber daisies in a variety of colors for beautiful and sweet additions to wedding, birthday or shower cakes and confections.

Things You'll Need

• Bowl
• Plastic mixing spoon
• 5 lbs. granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup meringue powder
• 2 drops food coloring
• Glass measuring cup
• Gerber daisy candy mold
• Cardboard

Instructions

1. Pour 5 lbs. of granulated sugar into a bowl.

2. Add 1/4 cup meringue powder to the bowl of sugar. According to the Mexican Sugar Skulls website, meringue powder is an absolute requirement. Meringue powder is made of powdered egg whites, starch, cream of tartar, vegetable gum, sodium aluminum sulfate, calcium lactate and malic acid. It is edible. If you don't use meringue powder, the sugar Gerber daisy will not set up and will remain soft and crumbly.

3. Mix 3 tbsp. of water with 2 drops of liquid food coloring. This water will color all of the Gerber daisies the same color. The sugar's color will be much lighter than the food coloring. Using red food coloring will produce pink flowers. Blue, yellow and green food coloring will produce light blue, pale yellow, and light green flowers. If you wish to mix colors to create other colors, only use 1 drop of each color. For example, 1 drop blue coloring and 1 drop red coloring will create lavender. For white daisies, use only water.

4. Mix the sugar and meringue powder in the bowl with the mixing spoon.

5. Pour the colored water into the sugar and meringue powder mixture. Mix with the spoon until the sugar/powder mixture begins to clump. Use your hands to squeeze and knead the sugar until it sticks together like sand. According to the Mexican Sugar Skulls website, if the sugar mixture continues to crumble apart, your mixture is too dry. Add 1/2 tsp. of water and mix again.

6. Scoop a handful of sugar mixture with your hand and press it into the Gerber Daisy candy mold. Pack the sugar into the mold as hard and tight as you can get it. Level off the top of the sugar with your finger. Fill all the molds if you're using a multiple mold tray.

7. Place a piece of cardboard over the Gerber daisy mold and hold it tight against the backs of the sugar daisies. Turn the mold/cardboard over so the sugar daisies drop onto the cardboard. Place on a flat surface. Allow the sugar Gerber daisies to air dry overnight in cool and dry location.

Tips & Warnings

• This recipe yields 100 small sugar daisies.

• Sugar Gerber daisies may be affixed to cakes, cupcakes and other desserts with frosting or icing.

• Sugar daisies may be eaten by themselves if desired.

• Meringue powder, candy molds and food coloring are available at craft, cake and grocery stores.

• Don't attempt making sugar Gerber daisies or any other molded sugar candy on a humid or rainy day. The moisture in the air will interfere with the drying process of the sugar mixture, and your candies will remain soft and crumbly.

References

• Mexican Sugar Skulls: Sugar Skull Instructions and Sugar Recipe