FLAVOURED SUGARS
There is such simple magic in making your own flavoured sugars – a gentle wander to the spice cupboard, a gathering of what is already at hand, and suddenly you have a jar of sweetness scented just the way you wish. A spoonful stirred into tea, a dusting over warm biscuits, a sparkling finish for fruits and tarts… each one carries a little flourish of delight.
The combinations are endless, as changeable as the seasons themselves. Yet one of my dearest favourites is lilac sugar. Because lilacs lose their perfume once dried, this becomes a fleeting, perfect way to capture their springtime fragrance. It is wonderfully simple, a true garden-to-kitchen treasure.
INGREDIENTS
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Sugar
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Fresh Lilac petals
HOW TO
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Begin with a clean glass jar – a 500g size works beautifully. Sprinkle in a delicate layer of sugar, about a finger’s width deep, then scatter over a handful of fresh lilac petals. Continue in this way, layering sugar and flowers until the jar is filled, leaving a little breathing space beneath the lid.
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Set the jar aside and give it a gentle shake each day for a week. This allows the sugar to embrace the blossoms, drawing in their fragrance.
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After seven days, strain away the petals. The sugar will be softly damp from the flowers, so spread it out thinly on a tray lined with parchment and let it air-dry on the countertop for a few hours. (If you’re in a hurry, you can use the warmth of an oven that has been preheated and then switched off – but do take care, for too much heat can easily scorch the sugar.)
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Once dried, you may pulse it in a coffee grinder to make it fine and silky before storing in an airtight jar.
This lilac sugar is a joy to use – fold it into cake batters, sprinkle over shortbread, stir into tea, or dissolve into a delicate lilac syrup. The leftover petals, though fleeting in their freshness, make a charming garnish for cakes and sweet dishes.