Spring Garden Recipes
Lilacs
When we moved into our apartment in early 2019, the property was blanketed in snow. As spring approached, we found that the previous tenant left a few culinary surprises for us in the garden. Rhubarb, lilacs, and chives sprouted up and we have grown to love them all. Every year, we try to take advantage of these seasonal, short-lived treasures.
The lilacs, our new favorite flowers, only last for two weeks or so in the middle of May. We long for ways to make the scent of these magical blooms last! Last year, we ventured into baking with them — making a lilac and lemon bundt cake.
lilac + lemon cake
3 cups cake flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups cane sugar
1 T lilac flowers
4 eggs
1/2 t lemon extract
1 cup whole milk plain yogurt
1 T lemon zest
2 T honey
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 T fresh lemon juice
Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour a cake or bundt pan and tap out any excess flour.
Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
Beat the butter until creamy and smooth, then add the sugar and lilacs and continue beating until light and fluffy. Add the beaten eggs a little at a time and beat well after each addition. Beat in the lemon extract. Add the flour in three stages and yogurt in between each stage. Scrape down the sides of the bowl between each stage. Fold in the lemon zest.
Add the batter to the prepared cake tin, then bake for about an hour until the cake is pulling away from the sides of the pan. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
To make the glaze, warm the honey in a small saucepan over low heat. Whisk runny honey, lemon juice, and confectioner’s sugar in a bowl to blend. Brush the cake with the glaze and decorate with more lemon zest and lilacs.
Adapted from Williams Sonoma
This year, we wanted to try another treat that would last longer than that cake did — so we steeped the blooms in Vermont honey. For the past three weeks, the lilacs have slowly infused their enchanting scent into this golden nectar. The resulting flavor will send your taste buds into the astral realm.
Lilac Honey
Lightly rinse the blooms and let dry on a paper towel.
Pluck the flowers and put them into a clean mason jar. You can fill the jar to the top — the flowers will float and bunch up near the top as it steeps (like the photo above).
Fill the jar with honey and close the lid tightly. Let steep for at least a week, or up to a few weeks for a stronger lilac flavor.
Spoon the flowers out and enjoy the honey on scones, ice cream, toast, or whatever tickles your fancy.
Rhubarb
Our rhubarb had large stalks this year! We clipped them from the garden and made a few new (to us) treats. We also found them available at our local co-op and grocery stores.
Rhubarb Cordial
Wash and cut the rhubarb stalks into small pieces. Simmer in 6 cups of water until they began to break apart. Discard any foam that appears on the surface.
Remove from the heat and strain the liquid through a fine strainer or cheesecloth. Set aside rhubarb pieces for the compote.
Return the strained liquid back into the pot. Stir in 1 cup of sugar (more or less, depending on your preferences), 6 whole cloves, and a cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and store in clean sterilized bottles.
Adapted from Fika: The Art of The Swedish Coffee Break
Rhubarb Compote
Take the leftover cooked rhubarb from the cordial recipe and add to a small pot with 3/4 cup of sugar (more if you want it sweeter) and a small handful of chopped fresh mint leaves. Cook until the sugar dissolves.
Remove from the heat and puree until smooth, either in a blender or with an immersion blender.
Let cool and store in the fridge. This compote is the perfect addition to morning yogurt or toast, vanilla ice cream, or a summer tart or pie.
Adapted from Fika: The Art of The Swedish Coffee Break
Rhubarb and Lilac Margarita
2oz. Reposado Tequila
1/2oz. Rhubarb Cordial
1oz. Lime Juice
1/2oz. Lilac Honey
Add ice, shake hard, drink slow.
Gin and Rhubarb Spritz
2oz. Gin (Barr Hill is our favorite)
1/2 oz. Rhubarb Cordial
1/2 oz. Lime Juice
Add ice, shake hard, and top with seltzer and mint. Leave out the gin and add more seltzer for a summery mocktail. Cheers!
