Growing up, my neighbor in Maine had an old, gnarled Lilac tree. Every time I smell lilacs it brings me back to standing in my neighbor’s yard. We used to pick the tiny flowers and breath in the “nectar” in through the stems. It was distinctly sweet. Once I had my own house, I made sure a lilac tree was planted. It’s taken a few years for the tree to mature and bloom but it’s starting to take off. In fact, I finally have enough blooms to make a lilac simple syrup! Since reading this book last year, I have really gotten into floral cocktails. Making an infused simple syrup is an easy way to add floral notes without overwhelming a drink. Let’s make some lilac simple syrup!
How to make lilac simple syrup
Making lilac simple syrup, or any infused simple syrup, is easy. The recipe is one part water to sugar and then you add the flower, fruit, or spice you want to the pot. While some recipes call for dried flowers, I like to use fresh blooms when I can. I picked a quarter cup of flowers from my lilac bush. When you are picking, make sure not to include any of the branches, leaves, or stems. Since you are infusing the aroma of the flowers, I did not to wash them, since they were grown organically. I used this mesh strainer and this bottle for storage.
Lilac Simple Syrup
Ingredients
- 0.25 cup fresh lilac flowers
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a small sauce pan over medium heat.
- Heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
- Remove from heat and let the mixture steep & cool for 15 minutes.
- Strain the syrup through a fine mesh strainer (to remove the flowers) and into a sealable bottle or jar for storage.
- Keep refrigerated for up to two weeks.
Cocktails Using Lilac Simple Syrup
Lilac Paloma
This is a delicate summer sipper. The lightness of the lilac syrup is important not to overpower. However, grapefruit brings out the floral notes beautifully. Plus, who doesn’t love a refreshing tequila cocktail. When you serve it over crushed ice, the ice provides the perfect amount of dilution. I also like serving them with these metal straws. If you like this cocktail, you might also like a Greyhound with some of the syrup added in.
Lilac Paloma
Ingredients
- 2 oz fresh squeezed grapefruit juice
- 2 oz blanco tequila
- 1 oz lilac simple syrup
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice.
- Shake 20-30 seconds until cold and strain into a glass filled with crushed ice.
- Serve with a grapefruit slice and a metal straw.
Lilac French 74
I love a French 75, which is made with gin. However, given the lightness of the lilac simple syrup, I used vodka in place of gin. The flavors of the classic French 75 lend themselves well to floral riffs. For a bolder flavor profile, just use gin instead of vodka in the recipe. You can’t go wrong either way.
Lilac French 74
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz vodka
- 1 oz lilac simple syrup
- 0.75 oz lemon juice
- 2 oz prosecco or champagne
Instructions
- Add the first three ingredients to a shaker with ice.
- Shake 20 seconds and strain into a champagne flute.
- Top with the prosecco and garnish with fresh sprig of lilacs.
If you are looking for more floral flavors, this post has a great lavender gimlet recipe you’ll also love. Cheers!
The post How to Make Lilac Simple Syrup Using Fresh Flowers appeared first on Cocktails Away.
