Make Flavored Simple Syrups For Your Concoctions

Simple Syrups In Any Flavor You Want.

Well we will soon be in the season where berries and fruits are going to be less expensive and far more plentiful. The trick is how do we preserve some of it for our drinks later on in the year when the fruit isn’t quite as inexpensive? Answer to the question is to convert these berries and fruits into a simple syrup and then simply freeze it, thereby preserving its flavor.

What is a simple syrup? Simple syrups have been in use in bars for years and is really in its most basic form just water and sugar. Where you can really start having fun with it is when you start adding different fruits and berries into the simple syrup mix. Here’s what I mean by adding fruits and berries into the mix. Below is the recipe for strawberry simple syrup.

Simple Syrup Recipe

• 3/4  cup of sugar

• 1 cup of fresh strawberries

• 1 cup water

The recipe itself is simplicity at its finest and simply entails mixing all the ingredients into a large pot, bringing it to a boil and then simmering for 5 min. At the end of that 5 min. remove the pot from the heat and allow it to completely cool.

The first thing you’re going to notice is there are a lot of solids strewn throughout the syrup mixture. Removing these and clarifying the syrup is as easy as lining a wire strainer with three layers of cheesecloth and placing it over a large measuring cup. You then pour the mixture into the wire strainer and wait for it to finish draining naturally. When the draining has slowed to just a few drops gather up the cheesecloth at the edges and squeeze out the remaining liquid.

The resulting liquid should be reasonably clear of any solids. The next step is to pour the liquid into some ice cube trays and then place them in the freezer. Don’t be surprised when you pull the trays out of the freezer and the cubes are not solidly frozen. The high sugar content will keep them freezing rock solid, which is a plus blending the cubes since they will dissolve without leaving any ice chunks.

Once everything is frozen up pop the cubes from the trays place them in Ziploc storage bags and put them back in the freezer. Congratulations you just created a bunch of great 1 ounce cubes of strawberry syrup, which can be used in place of strawberries in your Margarita recipes.

It doesn’t stop there though, you can take this recipe to the next level by combining different fruits together to form all kinds of great tasting syrups. For example how about creating a peach/strawberry, blueberry/blackberry or even raspberry/mango syrup? It’s up to you, so be bold and create something new and fire up the margarita blender.

A word of warning though! Unless these syrups are frozen or had a small amount of vodka added to them to extend their life, they will only last about a week. So as you can see this is very flexible as well. If you just want some syrup for party this weekend mix it up a few days ahead of time. If you wanted to last a month or so add some vodka to it and if you want it to be around in the dead of winter, freeze it up in cubes.

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Tagged As: Flavored Simple Syrups, Margarita Recipes, Simple Syrups