Three Uses For Simple Syrup

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Simple syrup is something that’s around us all the time, and unless you’re looking, you might not have realized just how extensively it’s used in our daily food and drink. Have you ever purchased canned fruit? If it was in light or heavy syrup… you were dealing with simple syrup. Simple syrup is used by bartenders for mixed drinks, it’s used for preserving fruit (and more).

My inspiration for writing this for you comes from a recent trip to the grocery store. In the aisle with the soda pop and drink mixers, I found a 12.5 ounce bottle of simple syrup priced at $3.89. That’s really expensive sugar water, even when it’s made from “real cane sugar!”

Simple syrup is very easy to make. The only difference between what you make and what you buy in the store is that the commercial stuff has preservatives to keep it ‘fresh’ longer. So, if you make a little at a time as you need it, there’s no need for anything other than sugar, water, and any flavorings you add.

How easy is simple syrup to make? Insanely easy. In the interests of simple living and saving you some money… in this post, I’ll teach you about making simple syrup, and then provide three recipes that use simple syrup.

“Simple Syrup” — waferboard (Creative Commons)

What Is Simple Syrup?

Simple syrup is just that…. simple. For most uses, you’ll combine 2 cups of sugar with 1 cup of boiling water. Bring the water to a boil and take it off the heat. Add the sugar, and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved into the water. Let it cool.

It really is that… simple!

Three easy things to make using simple syrup:

Pancake Syrup

• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 teaspoon (or to taste) maple extract or flavoring
• 1/2 teaspoon (or to taste) vanilla extract or flavoring

For general-use pancake syrup, this rocks! I’m biased, this is what I grew up with — we occasionally purchased fruit syrups made by Smuckers, but for the most part, it was a brown-sugar-maple syrup that sometimes included a touch of vanilla. We used an imitation maple flavoring called Mapleine. I also like Watkins Imitation Maple Extract very much.

Make Your Own (Torani-inspired) Coffee Flavorings

One of the most popular coffee “add-ons” are the syrups sold by Torani. They even make a pumpkin pie flavor which I haven’t tried, but it’s on my list.

To make your own simple syrup-based coffee flavorings, all you need is to make simple syrup (make it with white sugar), and add extract(s) to taste. You can experiment with different flavor combinations and come up with your own signature flavor.

“4-brown sugar syrup” — Rae du Soleil (Creative Commons)

Fruit Syrups and Cordials

There are two parts to the process: Make the syrup, incorporating the juices from fruit or berries.

To Start:

1. Get a 1- quart jar (I like the wide-mouth mason jars you use for canning — see a 12-pack of Kerr jars here)
2. Fill up the jar with berries or fruit and mash well with a wooden spoon or the pestle from a food press to release the juices

If Making Fruit Syrup:

1. Fill the jar with enough simple syrup to cover the fruit you’ve mashed. If you are uncertain about the ratio of fruit to syrup, experiment by tasting until you get the kind of sweetness you like.
2. Seal the jar and put it into a cool, dark cupboard for 2 to 3 weeks.
3. After aging, pour the jar’s contents through a fine mesh strainer that is fine enough to catch all of the fruit particles but let the syrup through. Cheesecloth could be a good option here if you don’t have a metal or plastic strainer with a fine enough mesh for the job. Drain into a bowl large enough to hold the syrup.
4. Transfer to a jar or bottle and enjoy. Please note: As the syrup has no preservatives, it will have a limited shelf life. Refrigerate, and try to use in 1 month or less.

If Making Cordials

1. Mash the fruit up in the jar as above, and then fill the jar with a mixture of simple syrup and brandy, whisky, vodka, or other liquor that pairs well with the berries or fruit you’re using. Do some experimenting to find a mix of syrup and alcohol you like, and pair the liquor with a fruit that goes with it. For example, brandy goes well with many fruits and berries. As with much in this world, it’s up to your taste and sense of adventure to decide what to do. Keep in mind that with alcohol, you get what you pay for. This is not the time to cheap out and get a gallon of “Grandpa’s Old Overshoe” whisky!
2. Complete your mix, making sure the syrup-alcohol mixture covers the fruit. Cover tightly and store in a reasonably-cool closet or cupboard for a month.

After aging, strain the liquor into a bowl using a fine-mesh strainer (or something like cheesecloth) that will catch all of the fruit fragments but let the syrup/liquor through. Transfer to a jar or nice bottle.

While it will be ready to drink, if you store it in a cool, dark place and let it age for a few months, it will be even better.

Bonus: Don’t let the the left-over fruit go to waste! It’s great used as a topping for ice cream, or spread on toast.

That’s all there is to it! If you’ve never made your own syrup, or cordials take an hour or two this weekend and give it a try. I think you’ll like the results!