Lavender sugar, sucre à la lavande, is sugar infused with the scent of lavender flowers. It’s a beautiful, unique gift that’s easy and fun to make. Use it in place of plain sugar to flavor lemonade or tea, or sprinkle it on cookies or cupcakes for a taste of France.
My French Club students wanted to make an inexpensive, French-inspired gift, so we made this and miniature Bûches de Noël during our Christmas party. We had a lot of fun eating and crafting together!
Color the sugar
First, pour about a cup of sugar into a zipper bag and add a tiny amount of food color. Seal the bag and “knead” the sugar to distribute the color evenly. Adjust color as desired.
Gel food coloring makes brighter colors than standard liquid colors. I got the best results with Wilton’s violet icing color. When students tried to get creative by mixing liquid colors in a few drops of water, it took a lot more dye and resulted in dull, ugly colors that were too wet. One boy’s sugar ended up almost black, and he thought it was hilarious to gift it that way! Ah, teenage boys. Le sigh.
Next, spread out the sugar in a thin layer on a cookie sheet or paper plate. Let it air dry for 15-30 minutes, or until the moisture evaporates. If it’s wet, it can grow mold, so it’s important to let it dry out before jarring it. Meanwhile, you can get the decorations ready.
Prepare the decorations
Use any kind of clean jar that has a lid – baby food, yogurt, or mason jars work well. Gather scraps of fabric, ribbon, and flowers. I bought a square of fabric, ribbon, and artificial lavender stems, all for about $1 each at Wal-mart. Make your own gift tags or print these free labels made by The Graphics Fairy.
Fill the jars
Next, pour the dried sugar into jars, add a spoonful of culinary lavender, and secure the lid tightly. Leave the flowers in a layer or shake the jar to mix them throughout.
Don’t use dried lavender from a florist or craft store, since it may be treated with toxic chemicals. I got my lavender buds in the bulk spices section of a natural foods grocery store.
Finally, finish the jar with decorations of your choice, and wait about two weeks before opening it. Lavender is a strong flavor, so a little goes a long way. Although the flowers are edible, you’ll probably want to strain them out before using the sugar. Bon appetit !
