Vanilla or Herb Sugar

"Vanilla or herb sugar is one of my top choices to sweeten a cup of fresh brewed tea or tisane. Also wonderful in baked goods. The flavor of the sugar improves the longer it sits, and you can reuse the vanilla beans (or hard spices) to make more flavored sugar for months on end. Herb sugar is a wonderful use for sweet herbs such as lemon verbena, rose geranium, lavender or mints. Also lovely made with cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, star anise, vanilla beans, ginger root, orange peel, rosemary, sage, summer or winter savory, tarragon or thyme. For the hard spices, just put them in whole, or slice vanilla beans lengthwise to expose the fragrant seeds. Makes about 2 cups. Enjoy! Tip: Makes a lovely gift in a jar, tied with a pretty ribbon and herb sprig tucked in! Attach a recipe card, et voila!"
 
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photo by BecR2400 photo by BecR2400
photo by BecR2400
photo by BecR2400 photo by BecR2400
photo by BecR2400 photo by BecR2400
Ready In:
5mins
Ingredients:
3
Yields:
2 cups herb sugar
Serves:
16-20
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ingredients

  • 14 cup leaves and flowers of sweet herbs such as lemon verbena, rose geranium, lavender, mint (or one vanilla bean, split)
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 lemon, zest of, cut in strips
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directions

  • Gently bruise the herbs with a mortar to bring out their aromatic oils, then mix them with the sugar and citrus zest.
  • Put the herbs and sugar in a jar and cover tightly.
  • For the next two weeks, give the sugar a shake or stir every few days to spread the aromatic oils around and to break up any clumps.
  • After 2 weeks, the sugar will be infused with the herb's flavor.
  • Strain the sugar, discard the herbs and zest (you can reuse the vanilla bean or hard spices), and store, tightly covered in a cool and dry place. Will keep for up to one year.
  • Makes a lovely gift in a jar, tied with a ribbon and herb sprig tucked in! Attach a recipe card, et voila!

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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

<p>Married to my sweetheart for almost forty years and we have two wonderful children who are grown and have flown the coop. Also, we have been blessed with a wonderful son-in-law and beautiful daughter-in-law, plus FIVE grandchildren: two beautiful granddaughters ages five and eight, and three sweet adorable little grandsons ages 2 months, 2 years and 3 years. My husband and I share a combination of English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Dutch, Swiss, Polish, Austrian, German and French heritage, and our son-in-law and daughter-in-law are both Hispanic. We've traveled extensively to many countries abroad (we lived in Germany), and have traveled and lived in several states here in the U.S.A. Many of the recipes I post here are influenced by our combined heritage or from our travels, or they are old family favorites that I want to share with you. I hope you enjoy! Have been to culinary school with many years of cooking (mostly for my family) under my belt, so know my way around a kitchen. And I'm very lucky to have the best sous chef in the world, dddddh! One of my favorite chefs of all time is Jacques Pepin! I have several of his cookbooks, and enjoy watching his television cooking show Fast Food My Way. Another top favorite is Julia Child (of course!). A few other chefs I read/enjoy watching on t.v. are: Giada At Home, Ina Garten's The Barefoot Contessa, Nigella Lawson's Nigella Bites, and Patti's Mexican Kitchen, and many more. On my bucket list is dining at Thomas Keller's establishment The French Laundry in Napa Valley, California... as well as Alice Waters' Chez Panisse in Berkeley, and the James Beard award winning Tartine Bakery and Cafe in San Francisco. One day!! &nbsp; Hobbies/Interests: Decorating with fresh flowers and herbs from the garden is my passion, and brings me deep joy! It's really hard to beat!! I love connecting with others who enjoy the same. Gardening, decorating, sewing, music, dancing, film, and reading are also up there. Spending quality time with my grandchildren, family, and friends (and cooking holiday meals!). Currently, a newfound passion has been so richly rewarding for me: genealogical research. I heart ancestry dot com. And last but certainly not least, I absolutely LOVE cats--we have two half-Siamese fur babies (cats) that allow us to live here!!&nbsp; &nbsp; A Note of Thanks~ I try to personally thank everyone who kindly makes and reviews my recipes, but sometimes I am busy, late, or may forget. Please know that I am always humbled that you would try one of my recipes, and I enjoy reading the reviews and seeing all the pretty photographs. Thanks so much!&nbsp;</p>
 
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