Fruit Syrup

This recipe is for one pound of fruit, which serves three to four. Increase or decrease as necessary.

I have used berries, apples and peaches to great success with this recipe. When you buy the fruit that's in season (or is too ripe to eat straight), you can get a great deal on what is often priced as a luxury item.

My favorite is to eat this with waffles, french toast or vegan gelato, and also as a soft drink (or mixed drink) in club soda.


Ingredients

1 lb. fruit of your choice
2-4 tbsp sugar (brown sugar and brown rice syrup are both great options)
2 tbsp to 1/2 cup water or juice, as needed
1 tbsp lemon juice, optional
1 tbsp Arrowroot or cornstarch, optional, to thicken
1 tsp cinnamon, ginger or other spices, optional


Equipment

4- to 5-quart pot
Potato masher
Sieve, colander or cheese cloth
Large bowl


Directions

Wash and coarsely chop the fruit. You don't generally have to worry about seeds or skin, as we'll strain that stuff out later.

Place the fruit in a pot, and add the other ingredients. I usually start with a 1/4 cup of water or juice. I think it helps the fruit chunks to start sweating, but that's just a hypothesis.

Cover and heat the pot to medium-low, stirring every few minutes, until the fruit begins to soften enough to mash with the potato masher. Add more liquid if necessary, and bring it to a low boil for five minutes. Add thickener if desired and stir thoroughly to mix, and continue simmering until it thickens. This should take no more than five minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool until it's safe to work with.

Now use the sieve, colander or cheesecloth to strain out all the solids. Collect the syrupy drippings in the large bowl. Don't be afraid to really work the boiled fruit. You want to get all the syrup you can!

This is best used hot, but you can also refrigerate or even freeze. One popular method for freezing is to spoon portions of the syrup into indevidual sandwich bags, collect the sandwich bags in a freezer bag, and keep in the freezer. The individual baggies can easily be warmed in a bowl of hot water.