How to make sugar cubes

Most of the time, afternoon tea simply involves flicking on the kettle and sitting outside with a box of bikkies. But other times, it’s an opportunity to transport yourself to Regency England to join the likes of The Bridgertons, The Darcys from Pride & Prejudice and Jane Austen’s Emma. Elegantly dressed lords and ladies sip tea from fine china teacups on the lush lawns outside their manor house. Their shaded table, surrounded by gardens bursting with blooms, is laden with crustless sandwiches, scones and lavish treats.  Let’s lay a string quartet over that scene just to be extra. Now that is a proper tea! 

Okay, maybe I got a teensy bit carried away (can you tell I love tea parties?). Although I can’t promise you such extravagance, these DIY sugar cubes will definitely take your next tea party to a new level of regal sophistication. Bonus, they are surprisingly easy to make! They look like glistening gems, so put them on display in a pretty dish for guests to help themselves. Use any shape silicone mould you like or add food colouring for some extra flair. Beautifully packaged, these sugar cubes will also make really thoughtful gifts or party favours.

DIY sugar cubes:

INGREDIENTS

• ½ cup granulated white sugar
• 1 tsp water
• 1 drop liquid pink food colouring (optional)

METHOD

1. Place sugar and water in a bowl and stir until combined. The mixture should look like damp sand and should hold together if pressed. Add more water if the mixture is too dry, or more sugar if too wet. 
2. Place half the sugar mixture into a separate bowl and add the pink food colouring; stir until evenly distributed.
3. Fill a silicone mould with the mixtures, pressing down with your fingers or the back of a teaspoon to compact the sugar. You may need to make an extra batch of sugar mixture depending on the size of your mould.
4. Leave the mould at room temperature overnight to dry out. To speed up the process, place it in the oven at 85ºC fan-forced for 30 min – 1 hour or until hardened.
5. Carefully pop the sugar cubes out of the mould and store in an airtight container or jar, ready for your next tea party.

Tip from the team: If you don’t have a silicone mould, press the mixture firmly into a square cake tin lined with baking paper. Immediately cut the sugar slab into cubes using a thin sharp knife, then air- or oven-dry while still in the tin until hard. Carefully break apart the slab into individual sugar cubes and store in a container. 

SEE ALSO: Japanese Fruit Sandwich with Cream & Strawberries

Japanese Fruit Sandwich with Cream and Strawberries