All In Good Taste / May 2006
A Spoonful of Geraniums
In their native habitat of the Cape of Good Hope, scented geraniums (pelargoniums) are perennial, but in most of the US, they are treated as annuals or tender perennials. The back of the leaf releases the distinctive scent for which each geranium is named. There are more than 150 named varieties.
Pelargoniums are grown for their scent, not their flowers. Native to South Africa, they were first introduced into Europe in the early 1600s. By the late 1800s there were over 150 varieties described in American catalogs. Some can reach a height of four feet and the scents range from rose, pine, mint, fruity (including apple, apricot and strawberry) and spicy.
Their foliage may be flavorful as well as fragrant. Though not all scented geraniums have tastes that complement cooking, recipes often call for rose, lemon, or mint. Most often, the flavors are infused into the dish and the leaves are removed and discarded before serving, although fresh leaves can be used as a decorative garnish.
Bursting with the scents of citrus, rose, spice or mint, the fragrant plants are easily grown inside and were a favorite of the Victorians. Scented geraniums lend themselves well to culinary uses, such as herbal-scented sugars and are typically used in sweet dishes. Rose varieties add a delicate but stimulating flavor to sugar for baked goods or to sweeten teas.
To make geranium sugar, stack clean, dry leaves in a canister between one inch layers of sugar. Place the canister in a warm spot for one to four weeks, depending on how much infusion is desired, and then sift out the leaves. Some cooks recommend first bruising the leaves to impart more flavor. The sugar can be substituted for all or part of plain sugar in recipes for white cakes or icings. Remove the leaves when the sugar has the level of scent desired. Store the sugar in a cool, dry place. (Save the leaves and add them to a cup of tea.)
To make scented sugars quickly, add a few leaves to about two-thirds of a cup of granulated sugar. Use a blender to finely chop the leaves into the sugar and it’s ready to use! This method works best with the most strongly scented plants.
Try sprinkling the scented sugars over fresh fruit, hot or cold cereals, and desserts. They can turn common beverages, such as tea or coffee, into uncommon treats.
Small rose-or lemon scented leaves can also be candied by dipping them in egg white and coating them with sugar to create impressive cake decorations. Dry them on a rack before using. Or, arrange the leaves in the bottom of a lined or buttered baking pan and pour cake batter over them.
Apple and crab-apple jellies flavored with rose scented geraniums make a delightful filling for sponge cake or angel food cake layers.
Other uses include fruit punches, wine cups, ice cream and sorbets. Lemon and rose scented geraniums are perfectly used in sweet vinegar recipes. They combine especially well with lemon verbena, lemon basil and mints. Scented geraniums are also a fragrant choice for potpourri, paper making and body care products.
Lemon-Rose Sugar Cookies
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup regular white sugar
1/2 cup lemon-rose scented geranium sugar
2/3 cup butter
2 eggs
2 1/2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg white, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
More lemon-rose scented geranium sugar to sprinkle on top
Place all ingredients (except egg white and sugar for topping) into large bowl. Beat batter at medium speed until mixture is well mixed but crumbly. Shape dough into ball, place in a glass or metal bowl and cover with plastic or wrap with waxed paper. Chill in refrigerator for three hours. When dough is chilled, preheat oven to 400 degrees and lightly grease cookie sheets.
Roll half of the dough onto a lightly floured surface, keeping the rest refrigerated. Roll out dough thinly for crisp cookies; roll out dough 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick for soft cookies.
Cut into desired shapes and place cookies a half-inch apart on cookie sheets. Glaze by brushing tops with the beaten egg white and water mixture, and sprinkle with lemon-rose scented geranium sugar.
Bake at 400 degrees for 6-8 minutes, or until cookies are light brown. Cool on rack. Yields 5 dozen cookies. PL
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