This gorgeous lavender* (salvia) plant is from Stephen Durfee’s garden in Napa, CA. It inspired my to make a lavender simple syrup on a hot day and drizzle it on a honey cake with blueberries.
The following recipe can be made with rosemary, lemon thyme, star anise, cinnamon sticks, organic edible rose petals or any other aromatic that you want to flavor your syrup with. I love to have these flavored syrups around to sweeten tea, use as a drizzle over sponge cake, flavor cocktails, granitas, sorbets and lemonade.
Lavender Simple Syrup
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
3 tablespoons dried or fresh lavender flowers
In a sauce pot bring the water, sugar and lavender to a simmer.
Allow to simmer until the sugar is completely dissolved. Turn off heat and let sit until cool. Use or store in the refrigerator for up to a month. The longer you let the lavender steep in the simple syrup the stronger the flavor will be. I store it in the refrigerator with the flowers still in the syrup and strain it when I need it in a recipe.
* Thank you Diane for pointing out my error. It is an impressive plant none-the-less, just greater proof that I’m no gardener. When Stephen said he picked the lavender from the garden, I went out and photographed the first purple plant I found. Oooops!
Oh neat – I love the smell of lavender. I have a lavender pepper combination, but I bet this would be great!
Hi psychgrad,
I bet the pepper would be a fantastic addition to the mix. Give it a try and let me know what you come up with. I have visions of a great cocktail in the making.
Zoë
Those lavender flowers are stunning. I tried growing lavender once – they’re supposedly hard to kill but I think I proved them wrong, unfortunately.
Hey Y,
I hear you, mine are pathetic in size, albeit fragrant. I’ve never been able to make them last more than a single season. Perhaps it makes them all the more special each year.
Zoë
Um, hate to be the one to tell you this… but the photo of the flower you have showing is of purple SALVIA, and not of lavender!!! Any gardner can tell by the shape and color of the leaf, plus the texture of the flower blossoms.
Oh Diane,
I trust your gardener’s eye. I could have sworn that he said it was lavender. But now that you mention it my flowers have a very different bud. I assumed it was just a different variety!
None the less the simple syrup made with my lavender is wonderful. 😉
Thanks, Zoë
I made the granitas and simple syrup last week, they were GREAT and everyone loved them!
Hi V,
So glad you made the granita and they were a big hit!
Thanks, Zoë
The best use I’ve ever seen for lavender simple syrup is in a Vodka Tonic– so delish! Would probably also be tasty with gin. Looking forward to trying both. Thanks 🙂
Hi Rachel,
Me too!!! 😉
Zoë
Sounds great, but I thought your secret tip would be not to stir the simple syrup. In your recipe, you don’t say to stir, but you don’t say not to either. Is stirring/not stirring important?
Hi Karen,
When making simple syrup you are working with an equal ratio of water to sugar, so it will not crystalize as easily. You do want to make sure that all of the sugar is completely melted before you cool off the finished syrup, or it may reform crystals on the top.
The only time I worry about stirring, or not stirring, is when I am making caramel. The ratio of sugar to water is much higher and the likelihood of getting crystallization is much greater.
Thank you! Zoë
Do you think it would be possible to can the syrup while still hot? I think it would make a great gift item.
Thanks,
Tiffany
Hi Tiffany,
I think it would work, but I would ask someone over at the http://www.extension.umn.edu/FoodSafetyEd/. They will know for sure! The syrup will sit happily in your refrigerator for about a month.
You have started quite a discussion over on Twitter with this question! 😉
Thanks, Zoë
Hi!!! I work as a bar mananger at a country club… we r starting a specialty martini list and incorporating a lavender martini.. it is with Bombay sapphire gin, st. Germain liqueur, lavender simple syrup … hoping it goes over well.. was delighted.to see the recipe for the lavender syrup being used in so many different things!!!
Hi Ange,
Your drink sounds wonderful!
Cheers, Zoë
Hi, I have a bottle of lavender syrup and am looking for cake and biscuit recipe ideas to use it in. Any ideas? Thank you!
Hi Seonald,
I just used some in a trifle, to soak the layers of cake. Just added it to sweet vermouth and brushed it on. I used lemon mousse and lots of berries. Delicious!
Enjoy, Zoë
3 tablespoons is a LOT of lavendar. Are you sure you didn’t mean teaspoon? I followed your recipe & it is too strong with the lavendar. I checked other recipes & one tablespoon per cup each of water & sugar seems more reasonable. I’m going to have to make another simple syrup batch to mix with this one to cut it.
Hi Michele,
It somewhat depends what you plan to use it for. I tend to use it to flavor cakes or put in some other recipe, which means it will get diluted and the flavor needs to be intense enough to hold up to competing flavors. If you are going to pour it over something as a sauce, then it may be too strong. Just add a bit more simple syrup to your taste.
Thanks, Zoë