Ger-Nis INTERNATIONAL, LLC

Hot Herb Trends: Herbal Sugars

Luxury, decadence & ease are what the latest hot herb trend represents, not to mention is quite economical! Herbal sugars are a thrifty way to turn ordinary dishes and drinks into extraordinary ones. Not only are we seeing great chefs and restaurants the world over experimenting with these simple yet decadent little concoctions called herbal sugars but we are seeing these clever ideas popping up all over the internet and in the retail sector as well with various herbal sugars for purchase. These sugary sweet potions are being used in drinks, marinades, sauces and even on meats. We are seeing the trend encompass all the various sugar varieties for plain white table sugar, to turbando sugar, demerara sugar, super fine caster sugars, powdered sugars, dark brown sugars, pearl sugars, muscavado sugar and even herbal sugar cubes!

The clever trend has inspired us to come up with several of our own easy and economical herbal sugar recipes so you can create decadence and luxury of your own….and of course you will be able to do it with ease.

Tools of the Trade
Here are a few tools that you will need on the road to herbal sugar bliss

• Glass Jar with Lid or Shaker
• Mortal & Pestle
• Spice Grinder
• Blender

Depending on how finely you prefer your herbs chopped in the herbal sugars, will determine which of the tools of the trade you choose to use. For finely sand like results use a blender or spice grinder, for courser results use a mortar and pestle or glass jar.

Storage and Handling Tips

A few tips to help you store your concoctions

• Store in a cool, dry, dark place for 2-3 weeks
• Can be stored in the refrigerator
• Store in glass jars, cans or plastic zip lock bags

There are two basic recipes for herbal sugars one is baked and one is raw. The baked version creates a cooked or dried herb sugar, easy to crumble and is more refined and versatile, the uncooked or raw version is more rustic and aromatic. Both serve their purpose and offer flexibility.

BAKED HERBAL SUGAR BASIC RECIPE
Makes 1 ½ cup sugar

1 cup sugar (your choice)
½ cup fresh herbs, chopped finely

STEP 1
Preheat oven to 200 degrees for 10-15 minutes
STEP 2
Mix fresh herbs and sugar in a small mixing bowl until combined well
STEP 3
Spread herb and sugar mixture evenly on an ungreased non stick cookie sheet and bake for about 30 minutes
STEP 4
Cool for at least 30 minutes
STEP 5
Place baked sugar mixture in a medium mixing bowl and using your fingers break apart until a mixture turns from course to sand like ( you can also use a blender or spice grinder for this step to ensure a very refined sugar if needed)
STEP 6
Use or store

RAW HERBAL SUGAR BASIC RECIPE
Makes 1 ½ cup sugar

1 cup sugar (your choice)
½ cup fresh herbs, chopped finely

STEP 1
Mix fresh herbs and sugar in a small mixing bowl until combined well
STEP 2
Using your fingers break apart until a mixture turns from course to sand like (you can also use a blender or spice grinder for this step to ensure a very refined sugar if needed)
STEP 3
Use or store

Serve herbal sugars on the rims of fancy drinks, sprinkle over fruits or fruit salads, sprinkle on meats, vegetables and seafood before grilling to enhance cartelization, scatter on top of fresh butter cookies or pound cake, serve in little bowls for tea, or make your own flavored whipping cream by adding herbal sugar to heavy whipping cream before blending.

Ginger Citrus Basil Cosmopolitans with Citrus Basil Sugared Rims
Makes 3 cups simple syrup and a lot of drinks

Juice and zest of 3 navel oranges
Juice and zest of 4 lemons
Juice and zest of 3 limes
Juice and zest of 4 tangerines
¼ cup sliced ginger plus 1 Teaspoon finely grated ginger
¼ cup basil leaves + ¼ cup chopped basil leaves
1 cup sugar + ½ cup sugar
Vodka
Sparkling Water
Lime slices for garnish

Directions
For ginger citrus basil sugar:
Preheat oven on200 degrees for 15 minutes. Place zest of all citrus, grated ginger, chopped basil and 1/4 c sugar on a aluminum foil lined cookie sheet, spread out flat and bake for about 40 minutes. Take out of oven and let cool for 15 -20 minutes. Break apart with fingers in a small mixing bowl Until mixture is very fine like sand. (alternatively use a spice grinder or blender)

For simple syrup:
Place all juice in a large measuring cup to get exact measure of total juice from all citrus. Pour into a medium saucepan. Add the exact amount of sugar as the juice approx 1 ½ cups. Add ginger slicesand stir well. Bring to a slow rolling boil and turn the heat on very low. Continue to cook About 3-4 minutes until all the sugar is dissolved and the mixtures arebeginning to thicken. Turn off heat, and place basil leaves in mixture. Set aside and let steep for about 20-30 minutes. Strain and set aside.

For cosmopolitans:
Mix 4 ounces of vodka or 6 for a stronger drink and 10 ounces of simple syrup mixture in a shaker filled with ice add 2 ounces of sparkling water. Shake well and strain into a martini glass that has been rimmed with the ginger basil citrus sugar, garnish with a lime: for the rim: In a shallow small dish large enough to fit the rim of a glass place a small amount of sugar to cover the bottom of the dish, take a lime wedge and roll over rim of glass, dip the rim of the glass in the ginger citrus sugar mixture turning the glass until the rim is coated.

Whiskey Citrus Basil Smash
Makes many drinks

Juice and zest of 4 lemons
3 lemons sliced, medium thickness
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh basil chopped
Makers Mark Whiskey
basil leaves for garnish

Directions:
For Citrus Basil Sugar:
Preheat oven on 200 degrees for 15 minutes. Place zest of lemons, sugar and chopped basil on analuminum foil lined cookie sheet, spread out flat and bake for about 30-40 minutes. Take out of oven and let cool for 15 -20 minutes. Break apart with fingers in a small mixing bowl until mixture is very fine like sand.

For Whiskey Smash:
In a low ball heavy bottom class, place 2 slices lemon and 2 tablespoons citrus basil sugar. Smash together sugar mixture and lemons until well smashed and juicy, add 2 ounces of lemon juice and 4 ounces of whiskey and lots of cubed ice. Shake in a shaker and serve with lemon garnish and basil leaf.

Herbal Sugar Cubes

zest of citrus 1 teaspoon (optional)
1 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons water or citrus juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs of your choice

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, mix all ingredients until sugar mixture is barely wet, damp but not soaking wet, so that it holds together some when squeezed. Place in molds like a mini ice cube tray let set in a warm place or in the sun for approx 30 minutes. Gently release from the tray.

Recipe suggestions:
Use other types of sugar, turbando, raw cane, etc.
Red Basil Sugar cubes
Citrus basil sugar cubes
Mintsugar cubes
Lemon mint sugar cubes
Blood Orange Lemon Thyme Sugar cubes

Mango Sage BBQ Sugar

1 ½ cup sage sugar (follow raw herbal sugar recipe but adding mango and using brown sugar)
1 tablespoon dried mango, groundfine (in spice grinder or blender)
1 teaspoon salt

Sprinkle pork, chicken or baby back ribs with the sugar concoction before or during grilling.

Ginger Lime Mint Sugar

Follow basic recipe for baked herbal sugar but add 1 tablespoon ginger grated finely and 1 teaspoon lime zest Sprinkle the sugar on fish, scallops or shrimp before grilling.