Equipment
Ingredients
Syrup Base
- 240 ml water
- 240 g white granulated sugar
Botanicals
- 3 g dried culinary lavender
- 15 ml rose water
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Combine the water and granulated sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the sugar completely dissolves, reaching approximately 90°C/195°F.
Once the syrup reaches a gentle simmer, add the dried culinary lavender. Stir briefly to submerge the buds, then immediately remove the saucepan from the heat.
Cover the saucepan and let the lavender steep in the hot syrup for 20 minutes. This precise timing extracts the sweet essential oils without pulling out the bitter, soapy tannins from the plant matter.
Strain the infused syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean glass bottle or container, discarding the spent lavender buds.
Allow the strained syrup to cool completely to room temperature, which takes about 30 minutes. Once cool, stir in the rose water. Adding the rose water after cooling preserves its volatile aromatic compounds, ensuring a bright and delicate flavor.
Chef's Notes
- Always source true culinary-grade lavender, ideally Lavandula angustifolia. Many ornamental varieties found in gardens or craft stores contain much higher levels of camphor, which creates an unpleasant medicinal or soapy taste.
- Rose water varies significantly in strength and concentration depending on the manufacturer. Start with a smaller amount of rose water, taste your syrup, and adjust upward if your specific brand is exceptionally subtle.
- To give the syrup a beautiful natural pink or light purple hue without affecting the flavor profile drastically, steep a small pinch of dried hibiscus petals or a few butterfly pea flowers alongside the lavender.
- This syrup is highly versatile. Beyond shaken cocktails like gimlets and Collins variations, it pairs exceptionally well with iced matcha lattes, sparkling water, or drizzled over fresh berries and plain yogurt.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 weeks — Store in an airtight glass container.
Freezer: 6 months — Can be frozen in ice cube trays for easy portioning.
