How to make sugar syrup

Sugar syrup is one of these staples which is used in many cocktail drinks and to sweeten some dessert sauces, such as raspberry coulis. It’s very quick and easy to make and keeps for several weeks in the refrigerator.

Here’s a recipe from Leith’s Cookery Bible.

Ingredients

• 285g/10 oz granulated sugar
• 570ml/1 pint water
• thinly pared zest of 1 lemon

Method

1. Put the sugar, water and lemon zest into a saucepan and heat slowly until the sugar has completely dissolved.

2. Bring to the boil and cook to the required consistency. Allow to cool.

3. Strain. Keep covered in a cool place until needed.

NOTE: Sugar syrup will keep unrefrigerated for about 5 days, and for several weeks if kept chilled.

They make it sound more complicated than it really is. If you use a little bit of lemon juice rather than lemon zest, there’s no need to strain it. It’s really just a case of dissolving sugar in water and adding a bit of lemon flavour.

Leith’s Cookery Bible

Prue Leith & Caroline Waldegrave
Paperback, 704 pages
1996, TSP
ISBN 0 7475 2799 7