Lilac syrup
Capture the inimitable perfume of lilacs to enjoy it in your cocktails and your baking.
Spring is in the air! Nothing beats a warm breeze carrying nature’s sweet scent, enveloping my backyard porch with lovely floral notes. Lilacs’ fleeting aroma cannot be distilled, but elements of its recognizable fragrance can be captured by steeping it into syrups and creams. The resulting product has a unique and original flavour, and it’s unlike anything I’ve ever tasted. The combination of lilacs, rose, vanilla, and a hint of something woodsy creates a remarkable syrup that you can incorporate into various cocktails and cakes to impress your friends. Time to revamp your Spring garden cocktail parties!
Lilac syrup recipe
60g lilac florets/blossoms
225 g raw sugar
250g water
3-4 blueberries, can be omitted
Pick 6-8 bunches of lilacs using garden sheers.
Dunk in a large bowl of cold water and swoosh around to encourage any critters to vacate the blooms.
Place in a colander and let dry.
Place water and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil to dissolve the sugar.
Remove from heat and wait for it to become lukewarm.
While the syrup cools, prepare the blooms.
Using small, sharp scissors snip the individual lilac florets off of the pedicel into a medium-size bowl until you have approximately 60g.
You want to exclude any greenery at this step. It is a time-consuming task but you will be rewarded with a delicious flavour! Sit comfortably and enjoy the fragrance while you snip away.
Once the syrup has cooled to lukewarm, pour it over the lilac petals and gently stir to ensure all the petals are submerged.
Tightly cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it cool on the counter.
When cold, place it in the fridge and let the lilacs steep for 18-24hrs.
Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean, sealable jar, squeezing the petals in your hand or against the sieve to release all the flavourful syrup.
Close the jar and keep it in the fridge until ready to use in cakes, cocktails and dressings.
