Fresh blossoms, chirping birds and beautiful fragrant lilacs are a sign that spring has finally arrived. Did you know that lilacs are edible? You can use them to add a delicate aromatic flavour to many recipes. Go ahead and chop up some lilac petals and mix them in with your pastries and scones. Make your salads special by tossing some petals throughout or garnish spring cocktails and pitchers of lemonade! Whatever you choose, it is sure to surprise and delight!
Here are four easy lilac recipes for you to try this spring!
Yoghurt cheese With Lilacs & Chives
Lilacs and chives are both spring garden ingredients. This soft cheese is sensational and very easy to make. You can find the recipe HERE
Lilac Simple Syrup
2 cups purified water
3 cups lilac flowers (be sure to remove all of the bitter green stems)
A handful of berries (raspberry, blackberry, blueberry etc).
Combine the water and sugar and gently heat until the sugar is dissolved. Add the lilac flowers and berries and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, strain and pour into a sterilized bottle. Store in the refrigerator.
Serving Suggestions: Add to fizzy water, lemonade, cocktails or drizzle over ice cream & porridge!
Lilac Sugar
Making lilac sugar is very simple! Layer a sterilized mason jar with equal parts of clean, dry lilac flowers & sugar. Be sure to pluck the lilac flowers from the stem and remove all of the bitter green bits. Leave a gap at the top of the jar so that you can shake the contents. Shake daily for a week and then sift the sugar to remove the petals. Store in an airtight container.
Serving suggestions: Lilac sugar is lovely sprinkled on desserts or used to sweeten herbal teas.
Lilac Honey
Making lilac infused honey is easy. Fill a sterilized mason jar with clean, dry lilac flowers. Be sure to pluck the flowers from the stem and remove all of the bitter green bits. Pour honey over petals until the jar is full. Store in a cool dark location. Shake before using.
Serving Suggestions: use to sweeten teas, desserts, lemonade and marinades.
Additional Inspiration
Here's a wonderful list of edible flowers from West Coast Seeds
Building a greener, more beautiful world one seed at a time.
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