Fruit Syrups

I’ve been making fruit syrups for several years now since they’re a fun topping for pancakes or waffles, and you can use them with sparkling water to make fancy mocktails, mix them into plain yogurt, or for shave ice without all the food coloring!

You can use a variety of fruits or pulps, and add flowers or herbs to customize your syrups. This is one of those things that feels less like a recipe and more like general guidance, because it’s pretty easy and adaptable. Once you make a few batches with different fruits, you can experiment with using more or less sugar, different kinds of sweeteners, trying your own add-ins, and so on.

Yield: about 2 cups of syrup

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of berries, pureed fruit, or fruit pulp
• 1/2 cup – 1 cup white sugar
• (Optional) 1/4 cup water for thicker fruits
• (Optional) 1 or 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• Note: For more acidic or sour fruits, use the higher range of sugar, and for sweeter fruits like strawberry or blueberry, start at the lower end of the range of sugar.

Tip: For tropical fruits, Goya sells 14 oz. bags of frozen pulp that work great.

1. Combine the fruit or pulp with the sugar and water (if using) in a pot and cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally.
2. Cook until mixture comes to a boil and let it simmer. Watch for the mixture to start thickening; this usually takes 15 – 20 minutes.
3. If the mixture seems too thin or tastes too tart, you can add more sugar a few tablespoons at a time. If it’s too thick, you can add water a 1/4 cup at a time. You can also add 1 or 2 teaspoons of lemon juice to brighten flavors or if you feel the syrup is too sweet.
4. Depending on the type of fruit or if you used herbs, you will want to strain it to remove seeds, skin, or excess pulp (eg. blueberries, rhubarb, raspberries). You can also control the thickness of the syrup partly based on whether you puree or smash the fruit when straining, or only capture the liquid.
5. Allow the syrup to cool if you plan to store it in a plastic squeeze bottle, or transfer it to a glass bottle or jar. Syrups will keep in the refrigerator for a few weeks generally, or you can freeze them.

Optional Add-ins:

• Lavender, mint, rosemary, or tarragon: if using fresh herbs, start with 1 tablespoon and add during step 2 above. For dry herbs, start with 1 teaspoon.
• Rose or orange blossom water: start with 1 – 2 teaspoons, and add after step 4 to avoid cooking off the flavor.