Summer Ice Tea just got sweeter with our fabulous flavored-sugar recipes! Below we’re sharing a couple of our favorite ways to bring some more deliciousness to your standard white sugar you add to iced tea and baked goods.
Some sugars are best “infused”, where you usually bury the item into the sugar. This method requires a bit of patience as you wait for the sugar to absorb the flavor added item.
Some sugars can be “blended” with the flavor item, where you process the item into small bits and blend into the sugar. This method allows for almost immediate use but you have to watch for clumping due to moisture.
Experiment with techniques and flavors and see which works best for you. Below are some of our favorite recipes for making flavor-infused sugars.
These sugars are also GREAT used in baking recipes! We carry a large selection of flavor oils as well as espresso powder in store, feel free to phone us and we can mail some out to you!
Lavender Sugar
INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoon culinary dried lavender
2 cups sugar
DIRECTIONS:
Place the dried lavender in the bowl of a food processor and blend it for 10 to 15 seconds to chop it into small pieces.
Add 1 cup of granulated sugar to the processor and blend well, for 15 to 20 seconds, until the lavender is finely ground and mixed with the sugar.
Whisk the lavender sugar together with the remaining cup of sugar until the lavender is well dispersed.
Vanilla Sugar
Infusion Method:
1 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean
infuse for at least 1 month.
Split the vanilla bean lengthwise for a more robust flavor. This will also add flecks of “vanilla caviar” (seeds inside the pod), which looks stunning.
Addition Method:
1 cup sugar
1/2 vanilla bean
blend in a food processor.
You won’t need as much of the bean since you’ll be using the entire thing, pod and all. Start with using half a bean, adding more if you’re working with small beans.
Citrus Sugar
Infusion Method:
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon zest (orange, lemon, lime)
infuse for at least 24 hours.
*Finely grated rind of orange, grapefruit, lemon or lime.
Addition Method:
1 cup sugar
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon lemon, lime, or orange oil
mix together.
Even if you’re relying on citrus oil to impart the majority of flavor in your sugar, add a bit of fresh zest for color.
Coffee Flavored Sugar
Infusion Method:
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons
whole roasted coffee beans
infuse for at least 1 week.
Remove the coffee beans before using the sugar for subtle flavor. Or, after the sugar has infused for about a week, pulse the sugar and beans together in a food processor for strong flavor (which technically combines the infusion and addition techniques).
Addition Method:
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons espresso powder
stir together.
For best results, use real espresso powder rather than instant coffee powder. You’ll get more flavor and zip out of the real stuff.
Rosemary Infused Sugar
Infusion:
1 cup sugar
1 generous tablespoon or a few small sprigs of fresh rosemary.
If you remove the rosemary before using the sugar, it’ll add an elusive, herbaceous flavor that no one but you will be able to put their finger on. Everyone will love it!
Addition:
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon dried rosemary;
mix together.
If you can’t remember when you bought your dried rosemary, it’s best to start fresh (or double the amount to compensate for the potentially weak flavor).
Pics & recipe inspirations: Lavender Sugar, Spruce Eats… all others King Arthur Flours