Crunchy Candied Tree Leaves: A Natural Fall Dessert Topper

candied tree leaves

Instead of raking and throwing away fallen leaves this autumn, what if we repurposed them and turned them into something beautiful & delicious? Embrace the natural flavors of fall with this recipe for candied tree leaves.

The following recipe is from The New Wildcrafted Cuisine by Pascal Baudar. It has been adapted for the web.


RECIPE: Crunchy Candied Tree Leaves

I always wanted to do something with tree leaves, but very often they’re not palatable—they’re either too bitter or too tough to eat. With this method you can turn many types of non-poisonous tree leaves into crunchy, sugary, and tasty dessert decorations.

You must think ahead, though: This procedure takes 5 days from start to finish.

Ingredients

  • A few non-toxic tree leaves (willow, cottonwood, and others)
  • Water
  • 
1⁄2 teaspoon (3 g) salt
  • 1 and 3⁄4 cups (350 g) sugar
  • Flavoring ingredients: lemon slices, a couple of fresh ginger chunks, wild aromatic herbs

Procedure

  1. Wash the leaves and place them in a pot with the water. Add the salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the leaves for 15 minutes. Change the water and repeat the procedure for another 15 minutes. This will remove most of the bitter taste in the leaves.
  2. Drain the leaves. Add 3 cups (750 ml) water and the sugar to the pot. Heat the syrup solution to a boil, add the leaves, and bring to a light simmer. Cook for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand overnight.
  3. Day 2: Bring the leaves and syrup to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer lightly for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand overnight.
  4. Day 3: Bring the leaves and syrup to a boil again. Turn the heat down and simmer lightly for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand overnight.
  5. Day 4: This is the time to add ingredients such as lemon slices, ginger, and wild aromatic herbs to flavor the leaves. I usually add 3 to 4 lemon slices, a couple of ginger chunks, and a couple of white sage leaves to the syrup and then repeat the previous instructions: Bring the concoction to a boil, then simmer lightly for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand overnight.
  6. Day5: Preheat the oven to 340°F (171°C). Bring the leaves and syrup to a simmer and cook until the temperature reads 240°F (115°C).
  7. Using a fork or spoon, carefully remove the leaves from the syrup, 
placing the leaves on a plate. Using a rubber spatula, remove excess syrup from the leaves and lay them carefully on a piece of parchment paper or a silicone baking pad.
  8. Bake the leaves for 2 to 3 minutes, then remove them from the oven and place them on a fresh sheet of parchment paper. Let dry for 30 minutes. I usually use them the same day, but they should keep for days in dry conditions. Humidity will make them softer (not a good thing).

Recommended Reads

Seasonal Desserts: Apple Spice Bundt Cake & Pumpkin Pie with Hazelnut Crust

Vegan Apple Honey Cake

Read The Book

The New Wildcrafted Cuisine

Exploring the Exotic Gastronomy of Local Terroir

$26.00

Enter your email to sign up for our newsletter and save 25% on your next order

Recent Articles

The Ultimate Good Sweet: Upside Down Apple Pie

Make an irresistible upside down apple pie with this easy recipe. No pie crust skills needed! “Secretly” healthy apple pie for a guilt-free sweet treat.

Read More

Fire Cider: A Healing, Warm Tonic

“It is more important to know what kind of person has a disease than to know what kind of disease a person has.” —Hippocrates Drawing on her decades of clinical experience and her extensive research, Dr. Jill Stansbury offers an unparalleled range of herbal formulas in her five-volume set, Herbal Formularies for Health Professionals. For each…

Read More
sourdough

How to Make and Maintain Your Own Sourdough Starter

Sourdough is a simple wild ferment made from nothing but flour and water. You can start a batch today, use it in a few days, and keep it alive and bubbling … well …  forever. If you have the patience, enjoy the flavor of sourdough, and can commit to feeding your quiet new “pet” frequently,…

Read More
desserts

Show-Stealing Desserts for Holiday Celebrations

Holiday dinner dishes and sides get all the attention — but the reality is, dessert is where it’s at. Here are some show-stealing desserts to serve at your next holiday celebration. The following recipes have been adapted for the web. Lost Nation Cider Pie From The Apple Grower Make ahead: The recipe calls for making…

Read More

Worth Puckering Up For: Simply Delicious Cranberry Muffins & Holiday Bread

Cranberries add a sweet, tart tang to treats. Feature them as the main ingredient or a happy sidekick in these cranberry bread recipes. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch or snack time!

Read More