Every week, baking expert Alice Medrich will be going rogue on Food52 -- with shortcuts, hacks, and game-changing recipes.
Today: Simple syrup can be even simpler to make -- Alice explains how.
What could be easier than simple syrup? You just heat equal parts of sugar and water until the sugar is dissolved, then let it cool, use a bit of it, and store the rest in the fridge for another use. Easy, right?
But if you're like me, you hate waiting for a batch of syrup to cool in order to use it, you don’t like washing an unnecessary pot, and maybe you don’t want leftover syrup in the fridge (mine is too crowded already). Making a small amount of syrup is even more irritating: It’s shallow in the pot, so some of the water evaporates by the time the sugar is dissolved, which makes the syrup extra concentrated (too sweet). You still have to wash the pot and wait for the syrup to cool before you use it.
More: Think outside of baking and add flavored syrups to your next co*cktail.
Step away from the stove! Sugar dissolves in cool water (or any other watery liquid, including fruit juice or purée, alcohol, coffee, etc.) in as little as 10 minutes, if you're willing to stir it a couple of times.
To make no-cook simple syrup:
Stir equal parts of water and sugar together thoroughly. Wait 10 to 15 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the sugar is dissolved and the liquid looks clear. (To make extra heavy syrup, increase the amount of sugar). That’s all!
To make exactly the amount of syrup you need:
This is the part I like best: 1 cup of sugar dissolved in 1 cup of water makes 1 1/2 cups of syrup (because 1 cup of sugar becomes 1/2 cup when it’s dissolved in liquid). This means that for every 1 cup of syrup needed, just mix 2/3 cup sugar with 2/3 cup water. For example, if your sorbet recipe calls for 1/2 cup of simple syrup, simply mix 1/3 cup sugar with 1/3 cup of water.
More: If you have extra simple syrup, freeze it in an ice cube tray.
To infuse your syrups:
Fresh ingredients such as herbs, fruit, and vegetables taste fresher and brighter infused in cold rather than hot syrup. Use them to create flavored sodas, co*cktails, and sorbets, or to splash on a fruit salad. Bakers can combine them with liqueurs and brush them on cake layers.
Here are some tips for further experimentation:
Herbs
Stir a generous quantity of herb leaves (torn or roughly chopped if they're large) or whole sprigs of herbs like rosemary or thyme into the syrup and chill it for up to 10 hours for soft leaves like mint, basil, and tarragon (these start tasting decayed after 10 hours) or a couple of days for sturdier herbs like thyme, rosemary, or even rose geranium leaves (very yummy). Strain and discard the herbs and store the syrup in the fridge. If any syrup is not as flavorful as you like, add fresh herbs after discarding the spent ones. If any syrup tastes too strong, add equal measures of sugar and water.
Other aromatics
Add grated citrus zests or finely sliced or grated ginger to syrup and let it infuse until you like the flavor and strength.
Fruits and vegetables
With a juicer:
There is no need to actually infuse; just substitute juiced fruit or veg for the water when making the syrup.
Without a juicer:
Make the infusion with 1 part water, 1 1/2 parts sugar, and 2 parts finely shredded (or a chunky purée of) vegetables such as carrots, beets, celery, etc., or crushed or finely chopped fruit. Stir and let the mixture stand at room temperature for a couple of hours, stirring a couple of times. Strain the mixture through a fine strainer, pressing on the solids to extract as much syrup as you can. Discard the solids. Store in the refrigerator.
More: Add some simple syrup to improve your iced coffee.
Get excited about Alice's forthcoming book Flavor Flours: nearly 125 recipes -- from Double Oatmeal Cookies to Buckwheat Gingerbread -- made with wheat flour alternatives like rice flour, oat flour, corn flour, sorghum flour, and teff (not only because they're gluten-free, but for an extra dimension of flavor too).
Photos by James Ransom
FAQs
Sugar and water will dissolve easily at room temperature with only some stirring or shaking. Just combine them in equal parts on a scale in a sealable container like a Mason jar and shake until it's dissolved. If you really need the syrup right now, then toss the sugar and water in a blender.
Does simple syrup need to come to a boil? ›
Tips for Making Simple Syrup
To save time, heat the water first before adding the sugar. Don't bring the water to a boil. The water should be hot enough to dissolve the sugar completely, but you don't want to boil simple syrup for too long (or you'll end up with caramel). Cool the simple syrup completely.
What's the best substitute for simple syrup? ›
If you're looking for a simple syrup substitute, there are three favorites you probably have right in your home: honey, maple syrup and agave. For honey or agave, add warm water to them, to help turn the mix to syrup. You can also use a sweet, juicy fruit, like an orange.
Is simple syrup cooked? ›
Simple syrup is made by cooking equal parts sugar and water until the mixture is slightly thickened. It can be used as a sweetener in cooking and baking, but it's most commonly used as an ingredient in co*cktails.
Do you need heat to make syrup? ›
You Don't Have to Heat Simple Syrup
About 2000g/L, or just enough to make a thick 2:1 simple syrup by mass. Granted, the sugar takes some time to dissolve. If you're making a 1:1 syrup, you can simply combine equal parts sugar and water and it'll do its thing in about 15 to 20 minutes.
Why is my homemade simple syrup not thickening? ›
Pour the syrup into a saucepan, then turn the burner on low. Bring the sauce to a low simmer and let it sit for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so it doesn't burn. Leave the lid off so that some of the liquid can evaporate, which is what will cause the syrup to thicken.
How to know when simple syrup is ready? ›
Stir the simple syrup and place the saucepan over medium heat. By the time the edges start to simmer, the liquid should be completely clear, not cloudy. Immediately remove from the heat source. Add flavor.
How do you know when syrup is done boiling? ›
Finished maple syrup will be 7°F above the temperature of boiling water at your elevation. Your syrup or candy thermometer will tell you this. If you have a larger operation you may get a syrup hydrometer and testing cup which will tell you when the syrup is done.
Why did my simple syrup harden? ›
Simple syrup crystallizes when enough of the sugar molecules stick to one another that they become insoluble in the water. As I thought through this process I thought about the heating of the water, the length of time the solution is heated and possibly what could be added. The process of cooking is really science.
What is a fancy name for simple syrup? ›
Simple Syrup, also known as “sugar syrup” (and sometimes “sugary syrup”) is a syrup made from dissolving white granulated sugar into an equal amount of water.
No, triple sec is not the same as simple syrup. Triple sec is a type of clear, colorless liqueur made from orange peels and used to add a sweet and citrusy flavor to co*cktails. On the other hand, simple syrup is a basic co*cktail sweetener made by dissolving equal parts sugar and water.
Is store bought simple syrup the same as homemade? ›
Not only is making simple syrup ridiculously easy - you just combine equal parts white sugar and hot water and stir until dissolved - but store-bought simple syrup can't be used in most co*cktail recipes because the sugar/water ratios are off. All co*cktail recipes are written assuming scratch-made syrup is being used.
Can you make syrup without boiling? ›
To make no-cook simple syrup:
Stir equal parts of water and sugar together thoroughly. Wait 10 to 15 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the sugar is dissolved and the liquid looks clear. (To make extra heavy syrup, increase the amount of sugar). That's all!
Can you overcook simple syrup? ›
In a small pan, combine one part sugar and one part water. On medium heat, simmer together and stir until sugar is fully dissolved and there are no grains visible. Do not boil simple syrup for more than the time it takes to dissolve. It you overcook your syrup it will eventually become caramel.
Why do bartenders use simple syrup? ›
In high-end bars, sugar is rarely added in granulated form as it dissolves slowly and inconsistently, giving little control over the end result. For this reason, when working with co*cktails, expert bartenders prefer to craft homemade sugar syrups – also known as Simple Syrup.
What is the cold process for simple syrup? ›
Cold Infusion
The process is: Put equal amounts sugar and water (by weight) into a jar (or other receptacle) with sufficient shaking space. Then you shake. Then you're done and it's ready to go! You can probably get a good picture of why this is my favorite way to make homemade simple syrup.
Should you boil syrup? ›
Maple syrup that is boiled too long will crystallize and maple syrup that isn't boiled long enough will spoil quickly and will be watery because the concentration of sugar in the syrup will be too low.
Why did my simple syrup turn hard? ›
Simple syrup crystallizes when enough of the sugar molecules stick to one another that they become insoluble in the water. In a syrup prepared with a high 2:1 ratio of sugar to water (often referred to as a rich syrup), the chance of sugar molecules clustering and crystallizing is high.
