Simple syrup

[Le Diable Bleu]

Hi fellows,

 

I don't have any sugar cubes left, so I made myself some simple syrup. At first I put it in a little coffee-cream jar I had, in the fridge, but it crystallised pretty quickly (more quickly than, say, maple syrup). I assumed it was because it wasn't hermetic so I put it in a little glass jar. But it's still crystallising, although more slowly... Anybody have a trick for keeping your simple syrup quite "syrupy"?

 

Thanks, .

[Ron]

If you know you're going to refrigerate it and keep it for a while, use more water in your recipe. Normally you make equal parts sugar and water. Another thing to keep in mind is that if you plan on keeping it for a while, make sure you boil the sugar and water for a while. It helps keep it from molding later. But yeah, try just using another part water. You can also add an splash of everclear or vodka in it if you plan on keeping it a while.

[Gwydion Stone]

I make my simple at around 1.5 parts sugar to 1 part water and just keep it in a wine bottle with a pour spout. I've never had it crystallize. You might also try dissolving a very little bit of gum arabic in it, say about an eighth of a teaspoon to 1.5 cups sugar, 1 cup of water. That would make it "gomme" or gum syrup. Great mouth feel on cocktails too.

[Wild Bill Turkey]

Yep, adding gum arabic to any sugar syrups ( grenadine, demerara, etc.) is the way to go to prevent crystallization. The stuff isn't easy to find just everywhere, but it's worth it. And the improved mouth feel is noticeable.

[FAJ]

Boiling/simmering your syrup will break it up into an invert sugar and it should resist crystalization then. Some people claim that it changes the flavor significantly, but I can't tell a big difference between hot and cold process syrup.

 

If you are adding neutral spirits to the syrup as a preservative, make sure to add it after the syrup is made, and cooled. Sugar doesn't like dissolving in alcohol, so adding it to cold process syrup before the shaking could cause crystals to stubbornly stick around, which would cause crystilization later.

[Le Diable Bleu]

Oh I forgot to say that I now keep it in a closet. As I say, it don't crystallise a lot now, but a little. Maybe it's because it was crystallising before so it's only some traces left... So to resume, abour symple syrup trick :

- Lighter sugar ratio (did it at 2:1!..)

- Arabic gum (but if it's hard to find, for the same price and less search I'll return to my cubes)

 

I don't really understand the two last comments... As for boiling, I did the syrup myself so yeah I boiled it. Are you saying I should boil my syrup? And for the alcohol part, from what I understand I should put it when it's cold but not if there is crystallisation already?

[FAJ]

If you are boiling your syrup, there should be very little crystillization, if any. I thought that maybe you were using cold process syrup, so I suggested boiling it.

 

I generally use cold proccess syrup, as I have never had a problem with crystals. I put equal parts (volumetric) sugar and warm water into an empty water bottle, shake it hard, untill dissolved, then funnel it into a squeeze bottle. Top it off with vodka and refridgerate.