Simple syrups and sauces are incredible add-ons for foods and drinks. More importantly, it can help increase shelf life of fruits in your fridge. Making these sweet add-ons are very simple to create and an experiment for what you want to mix and match. In light of the 4th of July and some simple additions to easy drinks, I want to show you something so easy that isn\'t time consuming.
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| Sauces (from right to Left): Blackberry, Strawberry and Ginger Simple Syrups |
Simple Syrup:
It is the same process. The ratio is 1 cup of water per 1 cup of sugar. Personally, if I am making large batches of simple syrup, I tend to use the more water making it a 2 or even a 3:1 ratio. I don\'t know why but I have found it to keep working. Although it will not thicken as much but I just want enough sugar preventing my drink to be over sweet.
Blackberry, Strawberry, and Raspberry Sauces
In a nonstick pan, place the your fruits on the pan and add about a cup of water or when the water is allowing the fruits to barely float from the pan. Turn the heat on to medium low and start stirring. Note: It is helpful to slice strawberries and other large fruits in half or quarters depending on how much fruit you have. Also, add about a tablespoon of two of brown or cane white sugar onto your fruit. In about 5 to 6 minutes, you should have incredible sauces.
Place the fruits and seeds into a large fine mesh strainer in order to remove any other seeds and husks. You can use the back of a spoon to crush it further.
Once the liquid has cooled, place it in your favorite container for storage in the fridge. These sauces last about a week.
There are many types of drinks that incorporate simple syrup into their drinks like Lemon Drops, Mojitos, etc. I tend to use the fruit sauces in other things like with Greek yogurt and granola or fruit drinks or even incorporate into new alcoholic drink combinations like the one below. I made this drink last night.
Similar to Sangria, I still had some leftover pomegranate and cranberry juice from concentrate. Given both of these unsweetened taste, it only seemed natural to combine these two with a spirit to come up with something refreshing. Naturally, my mind went to tequila than gin or rum because I wanted something semi sweet that would complement both concentrates while adding my own simple syrups to the mix. This drink below was one of those strange but pretty successful experiments below.
Unnamed Concoction #7
3 ounces of tequila
2 ounces of pomegranate juice (from concentrate)
2 ounces of cranberry juice (from concentrate)
1.5 ounces of ginger infused simple syrup
.5 ounce of lemon juice
Shake thoroughly in a ice shaker and garnish with a Lemon wedge or a bit of mint