Recipe: Citrus Sugar

You may juice citrus regularly, but perhaps don’t realize what you’re missing: all the flavor from the peel. Citrus zest brightens so many recipes, but if you have citrus sugar in your pantry, you’ve got a wonderfully fragrant gift. Keep it tucked away for sprinkling on cookies, rimming the glass of a tart cocktail, or gifting to your favorite baker or mixologist who will delight in the flavors of preserved sunshine.

Whenever I use big batches of lemons (for example, for lemonade) or limes (you know, for margaritas), I zest the peel and dry it in the oven in advance. Store the dried peel in an airtight jar and mix with sugar anytime you need this gift.

This recipe is for a lemon-lime version, but follow the fruit on your counter. I’ve used many combinations of orange, lemon, lime, and grapefruit to great results. (It’s also easy enough to vary with other flavorings; I keep both lavender sugar and rose sugar on hand.)

As
 a general rule of thumb, mix 2 tablespoons dried zest or culinary-grade flowers to 1 cup granulated sugar, but this is a very forgiving recipe, so have fun with it. The flavorings are so pretty as is, but if you’re using the floral sugars for baking, crush them in a grinder so the flavor blends into your batter well without big textural bits. If you don’t choose organic fruit, just make sure to scrub the peel well before zesting.