Herbal Spotlight: Scented Geraniums with My Rose Geranium Sorbet Recipe

Scented geraniums [Pelargonium spp.] come in many scents [lemon, rose, mint] & with many different leaf shapes [variegated, lacey, full.] Today, we will explore them & some of their wonderful culinary uses--
You’ll also meet Gerald, our 'Attar of Rose' geranium & score my super-easy recipe for delicious, creamy Rose Geranium Sorbet! ​

Beautiful scented geranium flowers.

The very term ‘Geranium’ is a cause for confusion, as it is commonly used to refer to many plants that are not actually geraniums…. And today’s subject is one of those plants! This focus is on Scented Geraniums, which are actually pelargoniums not true geraniums at all. Originating from Africa, these are tender perennials with highly fragrant leaves & stems; most varietes you find are hybrids with their fragrances falling into one of five categories: rose, citrus, mint, fruit/ nut, & pungent. There are dozens of varieties within each of these categories & I have yet to meet one that wasn’t fantastic. While they do produce pretty flowers, it is their leaves that are most useful. ​

Scented geraniums have glands at the base of their leaf hairs, where the scent is formed. Crushing the leaves releases the oil, flavor, & the scent. You will find a wide variety of leaf shapes in these plants, with some having deeply filigreed, lacey leaves & others solid, lobed ones, some solid in color & others variegated or ringed. Their leaves are used medicinally, in cooking, for potpourri, aromatherapy, & in perfumery.​ Scented geranium leaves can be used to flavor teas, jellies, syrups, liqueurs, sorbets, & baked goods, & are quite delicious.

Examples of the many different types of scented geranium leaves. Photo: gardenista.com

Hardy in zones 9 - 11, scented geraniums will not tolerate frost, but make lovely houseplants in lower zones & have no issues living in containers. Indoors, they will need some sun & will tend to get leggy when not regularly pinched back. Pinching them back also encourages flowering, & is rather a joy as a fresh leaf or 2 added to your morning cup of tea is lovely. I like to let ours get quite leggy, then give him a good haircut when the urge to make something strikes me. My favorites to make with the cuttings are Geranium Lemoncello, Geranium Blood Orange Curd, & the sorbet recipe I will share here -- which leads me to Gerald, our ‘Attar of Rose’ scented geranium. 

Meet Gerald, looking very leggy indeed just before his haircut!

Many years ago, my oldest daughter brought home a small cutting from a friend’s plant at school, & promptly named it Gerald. He has been with us ever since. Curious which type of scented geranium he was, I began researching & we learned he is actually a rather unusual cultivar in the rose-scented branch called ‘Attar of Rose.’ Most rose geraniums have lacey, cut leaves &/or showy variegations, but Gerald has simple, lobed leaves. Where he truly shines is in his flavor -- which is AMAZING! Softly floral with citrus notes, it is truly unique & delicious. In fact, my Hawaii-born husband insists our sorbet tastes rather like lychee! 

Pelargoniums are easily grown from cuttings two ways: 1) Simply keep your cutting or leaf in a glass of fresh water until roots grow, then transplant to a pot or  2) Dip the cutting in rooting hormone & place in a pot with evenly moist soil. The plants are very long lived & easy to care for-- just be sure to take them back inside before frost if you bring them out for the Summer in Zones under 9. Much like with our heirloom wooly apple-mint, I am all about keeping older & unusual cultivars going & am happy to share! 

Locals: Seriously, come on it & get a cutting! Just be sure to share the 'G' name you give it with us! :D

Having just given Gerald a major haircut, we have plenty to go around -- if you’d like a cutting, pop on in to the store & I will gladly give you one free of charge! All we ask in return is that you give your plant a name starting with ‘G’ to keep Gerald’s line going! :D  Tag your baby on instagram with #GeraldIsLegion so we cansee your results!

A bit about sorbets before we get into the recipe:  A proper sorbet is delicious! Light & refreshing, these lower-calorie-cousins to ice cream are frequently used as ‘entrements’ or palate cleansers between courses to refresh the mouth, aid digestion, & prevent heartburn. A good sorbet should be smooth, creamy, & easily scoop-able. This is easily achieved at home with a couple of tricks-- First, I add a tiny bit of vodka to mine in order to keep it smooth. That little bit of alcohol prevents ice crystals from forming, as alcohol does not freeze. 

It isn’t mandatory, but consistently helps to provide the best results. I use vodka to avoid affecting the taste. Additionally, you can substitute honey, maple syrup, or agave for the sugar, but it will affect the overall flavor. Second, churning your base really is crucial to achieving the creamy texture we’re after. If you don’t own [or want to own] an ice cream maker, you can use this recipe & freeze your base into granita, which is icier in texture but equally delicious. I will run through ‘No-Churn’ instructions as well. Third, this recipe will make about 3 cups of sorbet, which should be more than enough for 8-10 small servings. It can easily be scaled up if you need, but keep in mind it is meant to be served in small portions. We find it keeps well in the freezer for about a month, staying smooth & easily scoop-able. My final note is that you can absolutely use any scented geranium to flavor your batch. Gerald is not the only game in town in this matter [although he does make an exquisite sorbet!] Okay--Let’s do it!

​Rose-Geranium Sorbet

​1 cup Granulated Sugar 
2 cups Water
Fresh Scented Geranium Leaves, about 25
2 ½ TBS Fresh Lemon Juice
2 TBS Vodka [optional, or 2 TBS more water]

We begin by making geranium syrup for our base. This syrup must be chilled for at least 4 hours before making the sorbet. I like to make mine the night before & refrigerate it overnight. Add the sugar & water to a saucepan over med-high heat. Stir to completely dissolve the sugar, then add your fresh geranium leaves. Bring to a full boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat & simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat & allow to steep for 10-15 minutes. ​

Pour your syrup through a fine strainer to remove the plant material [which can now be added to your compost.] Once it reaches room temperature, add the lemon juice & vodka [or additional water] to your syrup & place it in the fridge to chill. The colder your base, the better your results will be. Once it is all chilled up properly, it's time to churn it in your ice cream machine or execute the “freezer method” for those without machines.

Ice Cream Machine Directions: Add to chilled machine & follow machine directions [about 20-30 minutes usually.]  Scoop into freezer container, smoothing with a spatula. I prefer a long, shallow container so I can get nice curls when serving. ENJOY!
Freezer Method:  Pour base into container, cover & place in your freezer. After a couple hours [semi-solid state,] take it out & hand-churn it up with a fork. Place it back in the freezer. Once it has refrozen, scoop it all out & put it in a blender or food processor. Run it until it is mostly smooth. This version will be more like a granita, icier than true churned sorbet. Cover & refreeze until serving. This version should stay scoop-able for about 3 days. ENJOY!

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​Wondering what else to make with your delicious Scented Geranium? Give my super easy Geranium Infused Blood Orange Curd a try! 
​You'll be happy you did!

geranium blood orange curd

There it is! I hope you enjoy the post & give this lovely, herbal sorbet a try. This recipe is super-easy to make & always a hit. It is so unusual & elegant. Please let me know what you think if you make it!
I am 100% serious about coming in for free cuttings of Gerald. And about sharing your results with #GeraldIsLegion.  ​This is definitely a cultivar we want to keep around!  
Until next time--Stay safe & remember to  #StopAndEatTheFlowers [or leaves as the case may be!]