Scented Geranium Sugar

We know you're trying to cut the sugar out of your diet, but we're going to do our best to keep you sweet!  This rainy day afternoon sugar project is sure to liven up your tea or sweeten a piece of toast with butter with a quick and simple sprinkle of scented geranium sugar.

All you need is some scented geraniums, sugar, and a canning jar.  Follow our steps below, and don't forget to brush your teeth!

1. Clip a few leaves from either a rose- or lemon-scented geranium. Look for bright green, healthy leaves with no brown marks. After you remove the leaves from the plant, snip away excess stem.

2. Wash the leaves in a bowl of cold water. Be sure to rub gently to remove any soil or other material from the leaf surface. Do not use soap and do not use any leaves that may have been sprayed with a chemical pesticide.

3. Dry the leaves between two sheets of paper towel. Gently dab away all the moisture until the leaves are completely dry. Scented geranium leaves are kind of hairy so it may take a while to get them completely dry.

4. Get a clean canning jar and add an inch or so of sugar to the bottom. Then add one of your leaves and cover with another inch of sugar. Repeat the process until the jar is full.

5. Seal the jar by screwing the lid on tight. If you like, you can add your own label to the outside of the jar that indicates what flavor sugar you've created. Store the jar in cool, dry location and in a few weeks the sugar will begin to take on the flavor and fragrance of the leaves.

Scented geraniums come in many fragrances. Here are some our faves in the lemon and rose-scented varieties:

Lemon-Scented geraniums
'Lemon Crispum'
'Lemon Crispum Major'
'Fingerbowl'
'Big Lemon'
'Frensham Lemon'

Rose-Scented geranium
'Old Rose'
'Rober's Lemon Rose'
'Chicago Rose'
'Attar of Roses'

Tags

kids project, kids gardening, sugar, Geraniums