How To Make Simple Syrup
You only need sugar and water to make simple syrup. It becomes a liquid sweetener that you can then you can use in sorbets, cocktails, iced and hot teas, lemonade, to moisten cake layers and more! But why use simple syrup instead of sugar? Read on to find out! :)
There are many dessert recipes which require simple syrup, but why?
It’s because in the process of making a simple syrup you completely dissolve the sugar and transform it into a liquid sweetener. This textural difference can be very important depending on what you’re making. For example, could you imagine moistening cooked sponge cake layers by spooning sugar onto them? Of course not! That wouldn’t be possible. But you can brush on some simple syrup and it will soak into the cake layers, moistening and flavouring them.
Simple syrup is also very important when making sorbets - but you can read more about why that is over here.
Simple syrup looks almost identical to water (apart from a few tiny bubbles) and is slightly more viscous in texture than water. If you often sweeten your beverages with sugar, you will find simple syrup very useful as it can be mixed into drinks easily and will flavour them evenly, unlike a spoonful of sugar which will often sink to the bottom of cold drinks and make the lower half of the beverage sweeter than the top.
PRO TIP: For a healthier choice, I like to sweeten beverages with maple syrup. However, depending on the beverage, you may not want the note of maple or slight colour it can give, in which case, a simple syrup is the ideal choice!
CONTENTS OF THIS RECIPE POST
I always recommend reading the entire post to get the best understanding of the recipe, helpful tips, information about ingredients, storage advice etc.
Here’s an overview of the topics covered in this post :)
WHAT INGREDIENTS GO INTO SIMPLE SYRUP?
Sugar
You use granulated white sugar when making a simple syrup.
Water
I like to use filtered water when making my simple syrups.
CAN I MAKE SIMPLE SYRUP WITH BROWN SUGAR?
You can use brown sugar to make simple syrup, however keep in mind that this will affect the appearance and flavour of the syrup. It will have a deeper, more caramel-like sweetness to it than a simple syrup made with white sugar and it will also have a golden hue rather than the clear appearance of simple syrups made with white sugar.
WHAT IS THE RATIO OF SUGAR TO WATER FOR SIMPLE SYRUP?
A simple syrup uses equal parts sugar to water in a 1:1 ratio.
For example: 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water.
That means you can easily scale this recipe up or down depending on how much you need.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO MAKE SIMPLE SYRUP?
You can make simple syrup in less than 5 minutes :)
DOES SIMPLE SYRUP NEED TO BE USED IMMEDIATELY?
No, simple syrup does not need to be used right away. You can cool simple syrup then transfer it to a glass jar with lid or airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 1 month.
RECIPE
SIMPLE SYRUP
Yield: 1 1/2 cups
Time: 5 minutes
Difficulty: Easy / Beginner
Save on socials
INGREDIENTS
1 cup granulated white sugar
1 cup water. filtered
METHOD
Place water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat.
Heat, stirring the sugar, until all the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is clear.
Turn off the heat, allow the syrup to cool down and once cooled, transfer to a glass jar with lid or airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 1 month.
It's that simple! :)
STORAGE: This simple syrup can be stored in a glass jar with lid or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 month.
When you try this recipe…
I’d love to know!
Please leave a comment below letting me know your thoughts on this simple syrup recipe :)
