Skip to main content

Simple Syrup

Simple syrup is used to sweeten cold drinks such as lemonades, iced teas and natural sodas, because granulated sugar doesn't readily dissolve into a cold liquid.  In order to produce a smooth sorbet or slushy granita that we enjoy in the warmer months, one always adds this type of syrup to the mixture before freezing.  This is why simple syrup is so convenient and handy to have in the refrigerator.  Not only is simple syrup an easy thing to make, it's also an item that stores well in the refrigerator for months.

If you so choose, this sweetener can be infused any number of ways.  Try steeping a few sprigs of flavorful mint or fragrant verbena in the liquid or perhaps the zest of your favorite citrus.  With summer just around the corner and the weather giving us warmer temperatures, I highly recommend having a jar of simple syrup at the ready to sweeten your favorite seasonal drinks.  Each beverage can be sweetened to taste and enjoyed with plenty of ice.      



Lemon Simple Syrup

Plain Simple Syrup
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
Lemon Simple Syrup
Lemon Simple Syrup II
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • zest strips of 1 lemon
Yield: 3/4 cup syrup


In a medium saucepan, add the water and sugar (if you're infusing the syrup, add the zests or herbs now); warm over medium-low heat.  Stir often with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula until the sugar dissolves; this takes about 4-5 minutes.  I reserve a wooden spoon exclusively for desserts - it's never used for savory preparations.  Let the mixture simmer for 1 minute more.  Remove from the heat & let it cool completely. 



I let the lemon or herb-infused simple syrup steep for 30 minutes to 1 hour.  Once cool, strain the sweetener and decant it into a jar.  I love recycling & reusing dijon mustard jars for just about anything.  This gets labeled, lest someone mistake it for something else, and is refrigerated until I need it.  Simple syrups will keep for several months and remember, the recipes can be multiplied depending on the demand at your house. 

Enjoy!
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Thank You for Posting!

Popular posts from this blog

Antique Salt Cellars

There was a time when salt cellars played an important role on the dining table for the host or hostess.  As a result of it being such an expensive commodity several hundred years ago, salt was seen as a luxury and it was the well to do that made salt cellars quite fashionable & a status symbol for the home.  A single salt cellar usually sat at the head of the table and was passed around throughout the meal.  The closer one sat to the salt cellar, the more important one was deemed by the head of the household.  Smaller cellars that were more accessible and with an open top became a part of Victorian table settings.  Fast forward to the 20th century when salt was no longer a luxury and when anti caking agents were added to make salt free-flowing, and one begins to see salt cellars fall out of fashion.  Luckily for the collector and for those of us who like to set a table with Good Things , this can prove to be a boon. Salt cellars for the table come in silver, porcelain, cut glass
50 comments
Read more

How to Paint a Chair

If you have ever felt the need to spruce up a set of chairs or give them a new look, why not try a little bit of paint?  Our tastes in decor and color will probably alter throughout our lives, and at some point, we may find ourselves wanting to change the look of our furniture without having to spend a lot of money.  That's where a few handy tips, some tools from the hardware store, and good-quality paint come in handy.   I know I'm not alone in paying visits to local antique shops, antique fairs and flea markets, and falling in love with pieces of furniture that would be perfect if they were just a different color.  You don't have to walk away from a good purchase simply because it's the wrong color.   My dear friend, Jeffrey, is forever enhancing his home with collectibles from flea markets and tag sales.  However, certain items aren't always up to Jeffrey's tastes when he brings them home.  He is the type of person who won't hesitate to chang
6 comments
Read more

Vintage Wilton Wedding Cakes

Wedding cakes have certainly evolved over the decades just as tastes and styles have in our American way of life.  There was a time when elaborate & very formal towering feats of sweetness were the standard for every bride & groom.  Growing up in a household where I witnessed several wedding cakes take shape from start to finish, I can tell you  that every single one of these was a true labor of love.  For mom, Wilton was the go-to supplier in every aspect of cake baking, including the wedding cakes which flew out of our house every single year for friends & family.   Vintage Wedding Cake Toppers It’s fun going back and looking at Wilton’s methods and styles for wedding cakes during the 1960s and 1970s.  Back then, the shapely cakes were not simply stacked and covered in perfect fondant the way they are these days, but were iced and decorated with real buttercream, along with a multitude of accessories.  There was even a working fountain available that could b
7 comments
Read more