Canned Fruit Liquid Is The Perfect Base For A Flavorful Syrup

For use in everything from coffee to cocktails to cookies, flavored syrup is exceedingly useful to have in the kitchen. These sweet elixirs add life and lift to your dining and drinking experiences and can be customized for any occasion.

Making a flavored syrup can be a bit of a process, though, when you're using fresh fruit. Picking out, cleaning, and preparing the fruit for its transformation takes time, and the produce can get pricey. Fortunately, there's a way to simplify this situation and even make good use of what might otherwise go down the drain.

When you use canned fruit for anything, from cheesecake topping to a salad mix-in, you're left with a pourable product that can prove very valuable. That's because what's left at the bottom of your empty jar is full of potential, and with just one additional pantry staple and a few minutes, you'll have a brand-new ingredient that makes a whole lot of your favorite foods far more exciting: a flavorful, versatile syrup in a snap.

Making your syrup requires only the liquid leftover from your canned or jarred fruit and standard granulated white sugar. In terms of process, what you need is more of a ratio than a recipe as a springboard, and you can adjust the formula from there.

A good starting point is a two-to-one ratio, meaning 1 cup of liquid to ½ cup of sugar. You'll need to measure out the liquid you have on hand after you're finished with your fruit, and then you can calculate your required sugar. Combine these two elements in a saucepan and simmer them together over medium heat. As your liquid evaporates, it will thicken into a sweet, drizzle-able consistency that's packed with taste.

Check the viscosity and flavor levels by tasting the syrup. Just remember to let it cool somewhat first to preserve your tongue. The temperature will also impact the finished product, since it will thicken as it cools. For more sweetness, you can add sugar. If your syrup is too thick, you can thin it out with a splash of water. And if it's not quite thick enough, simmer it a little longer to reduce it further.

Once you have your base syrup ready, you can be creative with how you put it to use and get inventive with additions. Personalize your syrup with spices like cinnamon, cardamom, clove, or even chili for a kick. Add herbs for brightness, like mint or basil.

With your perfect syrup, go forth and experiment. Swap your new creation for the classic simple syrup in cocktails like an old fashioned or any drink that relies on a dose of liquid sugar. But these syrups are tailor-made for customized mocktails, too, like a fruity fauxjito. For more nonalcoholic options, you can even use a flavored syrup to make homemade soda by topping it off with seltzer, or spike your coffee or tea with a little something sweet.

Of course, given their natural sweetness, flavored syrups make an obvious addition to a dessert spread. Drizzle one over ice cream, or use it as the base for a milkshake or float. Pour it on shaved ice for the personalized snow cone of your dreams in the summertime. Use it to moisten cake, or steep juniper berries in your syrup and use it to create a gin and tonic cake with a fruity twist. A flavored syrup makes a fantastic gift that will not only be impressive but also super useful. Include a tag with a few suggested applications or recipe ideas, and this upcycled present will surely sweeten someone's day.