When it comes to big flavors in baked goods, I sometimes like to take the more-is-more approach. Infusing already flavorful natural sugars with an array of ambrosial, herbal, floral, or spicy notes is a really fun way not only to make your favorite recipes really sing but also to impress everyone you know with your mad DIY skills and the ultimate edible gift.
It couldn’t be simpler to shake up a batch of any infused sugar you can dream up. Here’s the idea:
2 cups |
+ |
A handful of your favorite herbs, |
+ |
One 1-pint |
(7 ounces/200 grams) |
whole spices, or edible dried flowers |
(16 ounces/453 grams) |
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of your favorite dry natural sugar |
jar with a tight-fitting lid |
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= Homemade Infused Natural Sugar |
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When I set out to make a batch of infused sugar, I think about flavor pairings first. My favorite candidates are evaporated cane juice, because of its rather neutral flavor, and coarse, sparkly turbinado (especially for gifting, with its light caramel vibe and gourmet look). But more intensely flavored dry sugars (such as coconut sugar or rapadura) pair really well with bold spices in an entirely different way.
For flavorings, my favorite choices for herbs are mint, basil, and rosemary; although you can use fresh or dried herbs, fresh is especially nice. To prepare them, gently tear leafy herbs or lightly crush tougher ones, such as rosemary—the idea is to just bruise them a bit to begin to release the fragrant and flavorful essential oils, not to chop them so finely that they become damp and make your sugar clumpy. The same goes for citrus—use finely sliced strips of orange, lemon, lime, or grapefruit peels, pith and all, rather than grate off the zest, which can be very moist.
Dried edible flowers are fabulous for infusing sugars, but remember: a little goes a long way. Just a few rosebuds or sprigs of lavender are plenty for a single jar. Be sure to look for flowers that are unsprayed—tea shops are an excellent source of flowers that are safe for eating and sugar infusing.
Fresh vanilla beans split lengthwise are a given for infused sugars and will create a jar of heavenly sweetness into which you can’t resist stuffing your nose. Whole spices like cinnamon sticks, peppercorns, star anise, and cardamom are also wonderful—just lightly crack the sticks, seeds, or pods with a mortar and pestle or the side of a heavy knife to break them up a bit before tucking them into a jar of sugar.
No matter what flavorings you use to infuse, give the jar of sugar a good shake every couple of days, and let the sugar infuse for at least a week before using or gifting. The best thing is that it’s quite literally the gift that keeps on giving—as you use the sugar, just pour some fresh sugar back into the jar, give it a good shake, and the flavor party keeps on going. Use infused sugars as you would extracts or oils in baked goods—add a few spoonfuls in batters or doughs; spoon it into coffee or tea; rim a cocktail glass; or scatter some over cookies, scones, or muffins before baking for a fragrant, sweet sparkle.