Coffee Syrup

Lavender syrup is a 1:1 simple syrup infused with culinary lavender buds. The recipe: 1 cup sugar + 1 cup water heated until dissolved, then steeped with 2 tablespoons dried culinary lavender for 5–10 minutes. Strain, cool, refrigerate. Ready in under 15 minutes and lasts 2 weeks. The key variable is steep time. Five minutes gives a delicate floral note. Ten minutes gives a stronger lavender flavor that stands up to espresso and steamed milk. Over fifteen minutes risks a soapy, medicinal taste — lavender is one of the few herbs where more steeping can make it worse. ...

Vanilla syrup for coffee is a 1:1 ratio of sugar to water, flavored with vanilla. The standard recipe: 1 cup sugar + 1 cup water + 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, simmered 3–4 minutes until dissolved. No boiling required. Ready in under 10 minutes, keeps refrigerated for 4 weeks. This is the same base every coffee shop uses. The difference between a great vanilla syrup and a flat one is two things: quality vanilla and the right density for coffee (thinner than baking syrup, so it dissolves cleanly in cold drinks without making your latte gritty). ...