Make Your Own--Scented and Spiced Sugars

Citrus and Spice Sugar:

1 cup sugar

1 Tbsp grated orange peel
1 tsp grated lemon peel
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Mix all ingredients in a shallow baking pan. Heat in the oven for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool.  Pour mixture into blender and whirl on low speed until ingredients are blended and sugar is ground fine. Stored in a tightly closed container, sugar will keep for up to 6 months.

Lemon and Mint Sugar:

1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp dried mint leaves
1 Tbsp lemon zest

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Mix all ingredients in a shallow baking pan. Heat in the oven for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool. Pour mixture into blender and whirl on low speed until ingredients are well blended and sugar is ground fine. Stored in a tightly closed container, sugar will keep for up to 6 months.

Vanilla Sugar:
2 cups sugar
2 vanilla beans

Place the sugar in an airtight canister or jar with a tightly fitting cover. Using kitchen shears or sturdy scissors, cut the vanilla bean into three or four pieces, working directly over the jar or container so that all the little black seeds will drop into the sugar. Cover and store for 2 to 4 weeks before using. Remove the beans and whirl in the blender for 1 minute if you have lumps in the sugar. Additional plain sugar may be added to the container as you use the vanilla sugar until you notice that the scent and flavor are gone.

Rose Sugar:

1 cup sugar

1 fragrant rose

Pour the sugar into a clean glass jar with a tight fitting lid. Bury the rose in the sugar and place the jar in full sunlight. Shake the jar every other day for 2 to 3 weeks.

To Use: Rose Sugar can be used in place of regular sugar in many recipes--the sugar will seem a bit sweeter. This sugar is delightful sprinkled on fresh or brandied or sereved with herb tea. Dust freshly made chocolate or pound cake with the sugar sprinkled through a fancy doily; or try some in coffee.