Hi Everyone, Pancake Day is just a few days away… what’s the syrup plan this year for drizzling your pancakes? Often taken for granted, the syrup is just as important as the pancake. Can you imagine pancakes without syrup?
Why, it would simply be cooked batter. One of the main highlights of eating pancakes is sweeping the pancake through thick flavourful syrup and letting it lace your tongue with sweetness.
Instead of buying syrup, make your own, it’s easy. Make it a day ahead so that the flavour develops fully.
Orange Syrup
INGREDIENTS
1½ cups unsweetened orange juice
3 cups sugar (white or brown)
DIRECTIONS
Add both ingredients to a saucepot and place on medium heat.
Stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar dissolves.
Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely. Store in a sterilized airtight bottle or container.
Vanilla Syrup
1 whole vanilla bean
1½ cups water
3 cups brown sugar
DIRECTIONS
Cut the vanilla bean right down the middle. Using the tip of a knife, scrape out the tiny vanilla beans and add with pod to a saucepot.
Add water and sugar to pot with vanilla and place on medium heat.
Stir to dissolve sugar and bring to a boil. When the pot comes to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely. Store in a sterilized airtight bottle or container.
NOTES
If you cannot access vanilla beans substitute with 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Stir in the extract just before removing the syrup from the stove. Do not boil the extract as the syrup is cooking, as this will alter the flavour of the syrup.
You can choose not to add the scraped vanilla bean pod, instead, add the pod to a bottle or container along with a cup of sugar, cover tightly and store at least for a month before use. This will result in you creating vanilla sugar. Each time you use a vanilla bean, add the pod along with more sugar to the bottle, this way you have an ongoing supply of vanilla sugar.
Cardamom (Elaichi) Syrup
INGREDIENTS
2 teaspoons green cardamom pods
1½ cups water
3 cups sugar (white or brown)
DIRECTIONS
Crush the cardamom pods and add to a saucepot.
Add water and sugar to the pot along with the crushed cardamom pods. Place on medium heat.
Stir to dissolve sugar and bring to a boil. When the pot comes to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
Strain the syrup and store in an airtight sterilized bottle or container.
NOTE
You can use black cardamom in place of green cardamom; it has a more pronounced flavour. Use 4 – 5 black cardamom pods.
Ginger Syrup
INGREDIENTS
4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh root ginger
1½ cups water
3 cups sugar (white or brown)
DIRECTIONS
Add all the ingredients to a saucepot and place on medium heat.
Stir until the sugar dissolves.
When the pot comes to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
Strain the syrup and store in a sterilized airtight bottle or container.
Cinnamon Syrup
INGREDIENTS
2 x 3-inch pieces of cinnamon stick
2 whole cloves
1½ cups water
3 cups brown sugar
DIRECTIONS
Add all the ingredients to a saucepot and place on medium heat.
Stir until the sugar dissolves.
When the pot comes to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely. Store in a sterilized airtight bottle or container (do not remove the cinnamon sticks).
Meanwhile, if you would like pancakes to go along with these syrups, you can find a variety at: http://www. tasteslikehome.org/2013/02/take-your-pick-of-pancakes.html
