Lilacs hold a special place for me. They were the first edible flower I fell in love with. Growing up, a lilac tree bloomed outside our house every spring, its fragrance heavy in the air for just a few weeks. Making lilac sugar is my favorite way to hold onto that moment. The blossoms are deeply purple, but once infused and sifted, the sugar itself turns pale and gentle, carrying a soft floral note.
In the Kitchen
I love using lilac sugar wherever a little floral sweetness can bloom — folded into cakes and cookies, scattered over scones, or whipped into meringue and pavlova. It’s lovely steeped into cream for ice cream and panna cotta, or paired with dark berries like blueberries, boysenberries, and blackberries in pies and cobblers. I especially love lilac paired with lemon, vanilla, and dark berries.
Before You Begin
•Remove all green stems before using — even small pieces can add bitterness.
•Do not rinse the blossoms. Give them a gentle shake to remove any little visitors.
•Always make sure your lilacs haven’t been sprayed. Source from a garden or farmers’ market you trust.
Lilac Sugar
Ingredients
1 cup lilac flowers
2 cups granulated sugar
Instructions
Beginning with a layer of sugar, add the lilac blossoms to a clean glass jar. Continue alternating until you reach the top of the jar. Store in a cool, dark place for about a week- or up to two for a more fragrant sugar- shaking the jar each day to redistribute the sugar and flowers. At this point, the blossoms will have dried and turned brown, and the sugar may be slightly clumpy.
For a smooth, sifted sugar:
Once the sugar is fragrant, remove the dried lilac flowers by sifting them out with a fine-mesh strainer.
For a stronger, fully integrated sugar:
Spread the sugar and dried lilacs onto a baking sheet and let dry for about 24 hours. Transfer to a food processor or high-speed blender and process until the sugar reaches a fine, powdery texture.
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