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How to make fleur de sel (salt flakes)
French "fleur de sel" is a salt with a special texture, formed by the action of the wind on salt marshs. The wind dries the surface of the water which has a high salt concentration (this will later become sea salt) producing thin flaky crystals.
1 hour 7 min.
Easy
15 g
1 IngredientLast modified on: May 4th 2011
For 15 g, you will need:
- 1
500 ml sea water - Total weight: 500 grams
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 7 min.
Cooking: 1 hour
All in all: 1 hour 7 min.
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - ⌛ 2 min.
Pour 500 ml sea water into a pan on the lowest heat possible.
Stage 2 - ⌛ 1 hour
As the water evaporates, crystals of salt will start to appear on the surface...
Stage 3
...until the water has entirely disappeared.
Stage 4 - ⌛ 5 min.
Scrape the bottom of the pan and you will have your "fleur de sel" salt flakes.
Remarks
It's worth noting that all types of salt have the same basic taste (unless of course there is something added). What "fleur se sel" offers is a different texture, rather than taste, and it is for scattering over the top of dishes rather than mixing in, as this adds nothing different from normal salt.
Keeping: Several months in an airtight jar.
Source: Home made, based on a tip by Hervé This.
Nutritional information
| Proteins (gr) | Carbohydrates (gr) | Fats (gr) | Energy value (in k-calories) | Energy value (in k-joules) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole recipe | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 RDI: 0 % |
| Per 100 g | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 RDI: 0 % |
This recipe uses (among others)
Sea water
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The 4 comments already posted on this recipe
Fleur de Sel is not made, it is the first hand harvested of the delicate and tasty flakes on top of the salt fields. What you are making is salt FLAKES. I actually want to make salt flakes so I will use your instructions.
Fleur de Sel is sold by the name of the salt fields or regions such as the Fleur de Sel (flower of the salt- French) de Guerande. It is one of the more coveted Fleur de sel salts in France. Because it is hand harvested, it costs considerably more than gross salt and is considering a 'finishing salt'. That is the salt sprinkled on the food on your plate just before it is eaten.