Easy Sugared Bay Leaves Recipes

SUGARED BAY LEAVES

Steps:

• Brush 1 side of a bay leaf with egg white. Holding leaf over a bowl, gently pour sugar over leaf. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment. Repeat with remaining leaves. Let dry, about 1 hour.

BAY LEAF CREAMS

Steps:

• To make the syrup, dissolve the sugar in a pan with 150ml water over a low heat, and bubble until it reduces by almost half. Put the bay leaves in a bowl (scrunch them in your hands first), then pour in the hot syrup and lime juice, cover and leave in a cool place for at least 4 hrs to infuse (if you have time, do this ahead and leave it for at least two days). Strain into a bottle. Will keep chilled for up to a week. If you want to keep it for longer, then bring the syrup back up to the boil before bottling it.
• Soak the gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water and set aside. Put the cream, milk, sugar and bay leaves (again, scrunch them as you add them) in a pan and bring to the boil. Stir to dissolve the sugar, then take off the heat. Gently squeeze the excess water from the gelatine, then stir into the hot cream until completely dissolved. Leave to cool for 10 mins, then fish out the bay leaves. Pour into six to eight decorative glasses and leave to set in the fridge overnight. Pour the syrup over the creams just before serving.

SUGARED BASIL LEAVES

Steps:

• Whisk egg white with 1 teaspoon water until frothy. Working with one leaf at a time, brush a thin layer of egg wash onto basil; sprinkle with sugar. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool until firm and dry, about 1 hour. Leaves can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 day.

SWEET-AND-SOUR CHERRIES WITH BAY LEAVES

Steps:

• Wash the cherries and lay them on a dry cloth. Snip off the nubby ends of the stems with scissors. Using a needle, prick each cherry two or three times and drop it into a one-pint canning jar. Toss in the crushed peppercorns and tuck the bay leaves among the cherries.
• Bring the vinegar, sugar and 1/3 cup water to a boil in a small pan, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Cover the cherries with the liquid, close the jar and let cool before refrigerating. The cherries will be ready to eat in two or three days. Serve with chicken-liver mousse, duck, salami or other charcuterie.