Lilac Sugar

Spring is such an exciting time of year, as everything begins to burst back into life. The only downside though is that the majority of it’s beautiful blooms are fleeting, leaving a relatively short window to enjoy them in. This is where the art of preserving really is a blessing, pretty much anything can be preserved so long as you know how & the best way to preserve & lock in it’s flavour. Up until now, besides citrus & marmalades there hasn’t been an awful lot to jam, pickle, brine or generally just bung in a jar but spring provides ample opportunity once more.

Aside from the fresh greens that the wild garlic, nettle & asparagus brings this month, amongst it all are the beautiful lilacs. All shades of pinks & purples contrasting agains’t the early greens of spring, with it’s beautiful clustering display of blooms & wonderful perfume lingering in the gentle heat of the spring sunshine. Definitely something that’s worthy of preserving & using while we can! This delicate lilac sugar is probably just about one of the easiest preserving methods you’ll find. With minimal effort you can make a heavenly sweet & floral sugar that will bring a delicious floral touch to your baking or even just you cup of tea.

LILAC SUGAR
(easily scaled up or down)

Ingredients:

• 60g lilac blossom
• 300g granulated sugar

Method:

• Begin by washing & drying the lilacs, ensure that they are thoroughly dry & free of moisture before using
• Once dry pick the lilac blossom from their stems & set aside
• Next, in a clean jar, add 1/3 of the sugar, followed 1/3 of the lilac blossom
• Repeat this layering os sugar & blossom until the jar is full
• Place the lid on the jar & give it a little shake
• Leave the sugar to infuse for 1 week, giving it a good shake every day to ensure that the sugar doesn’t solidify as it draws the moisture out of the lilacs
• After a week the lilacs should’ve browned & the sugar should be perfumed
• At this point you can remove the blossoms if you wish before using or you can leave them in