Condiments

Sparkling Rosemary Sprig

Author: Mary DiSomma

Sparkly and luxurious, these decorative sugared rosemary sprigs make a fantastic garnish or decoration for the colder months. To me, the rosemary looks like an evergreen branch, and the sugar crystals look like ice or snow. They make a wonderful garnish for my Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake—but don’t be afraid to get creative! Try using them on your table centerpiece, adding them to a cocktail glass, or serving them alongside a platter of holiday cookies. Pairing them with reds like fresh cranberries, cherries, dried oranges, or other fruits is a particularly festive way to use them.

Sparkling Rosemary Sprig

Sparkling sugar on fresh rosemary sprigs makes a stunning holiday garnish. They are especially beautiful paired with my Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake!

Yield: 20 sprigs
Prep Time: 3 hours 3 hrs
Cook Time: 10 minutes 10 min
Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes 3 hrs 10 min

Ingredients

For the Simple Syrup

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
2 packages of fresh rosemary sprigs, washed and dried

For the Garnish

2 cups granulated sugar

Instructions

Prepare your ingredients and tools ahead of time: It’s important to have everything set up before you start this one.
On your countertop, close to your cooking surface, set a cooling rack over some paper towels. Place 2 cups of sugar in a bowl close to the rack. Have your rosemary ready to go—it should be cleaned and dried.
Now you can start your simple syrup! In a medium pot, combine the remaining cup of sugar with the 1 cup of water. Heat on medium, stirring now and then, until the sugar is melted. Do not boil the mixture. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool for 2 minutes.
Add the rosemary sprigs in small batches to the syrup mixture. Using tongs, remove them and place them on the cooling rack. Continue with the remaining rosemary. Discard the simple syrup once you are done with it.
The rosemary needs to sit on the rack for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. They will no longer be wet but still will be slightly sticky.
Now it’s time to add the sparkle. Working with one rosemary sprig at a time, roll them in the bowl of sugar. Use a fork to separate the rosemary needles if needed. Place the rosemary back on the rack and let set for about 2 to 3 hours. The rosemary can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 days. Be sure to separate the layers of rosemary sprigs with parchment paper or wax paper. Use the sprigs as a garnish for a dessert or place them in your favorite holiday cocktail.

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Tips

Sparkling rosemary, also known as sugared rosemary sprigs, makes a fantastic garnish or decoration for the colder months of the year. Rosemary looks like the branch of an evergreen tree, and the sugar crystals are like ice or snow—what a perfect way to celebrate the season. Paired with reds like fresh cranberries, cherries, or other fruits is a particularly festive way to use them.

Sugared rosemary makes a wonderful garnish for my Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake—but don’t be afraid to get creative with them! Try using them on your table centerpiece, laying them over a cocktail glass, or alongside a platter of holiday cookies. Here are a few of my recommendations:

They are easy to make, but once you start dipping those rosemary sprigs in the simple syrup, you have to work fairly quickly! On your countertop close to your cooking surface, place a cooling rack on top of paper towels. Place 2 cups of sugar in a bowl close to the rack. Have your rosemary cleaned and dried with a paper towel and ready to go. Once your simple syrup is prepared, you’ll begin the dipping process described in the directions below. Let’s get started… have fun!