Lavender is so lovely at this time of year, the scent is one of my favourites for candles and room sprays, so I’ve been thinking of ways to capture and keep it.
I love cake and all things sweet so lavender sugar seems the obvious choice. It’s so simple to make and creates wonderful flavours that can be added to sponge cakes and biscuits or mixed into cream or mascarpone for puddings. The best time to pick lavender is mid-morning on a dry, sunny day when the dew has evaporated.
All you need is:
- 1kg of sugar
- 2tsp of lavender flowers
- Kilner jar
Finely chop the lavender flowers, mix them into the sugar, place it all in a Kilner jar and store in a cool cupboard for a couple of weeks to let the flavour blend into the sugar.
Blackcurrant sage (Salvia microphylla) or pineapple sage (Salvia elegans) are pretty plants with small dark pink or scarlet flowers, gently crush the leaves and the most amazing fruity aroma is released.
To make blackcurrant or pineapple sugar: finely chop the leaves and add them to sugar as above, but use 2 tablespoons of chopped leaves to 1kg of sugar.
These sages grow well in south-east England in a sunny well drained place in the garden, but keep them inside over winter in colder areas.
Happy gathering and baking.
Jill
all images: Jill Anderson
