Simple Syrup
Add granulated white sugar to water in a 1:1 proportion (e.g. 1 cup sugar to 1 cup water) in a saucepan. (Optional: add a cinnamon stick.)
Stir while heating.
When sugar has melted, dissolved in the water, TAKE OFF HEAT.
Add flavoring and stir. (Flavorings, like vanilla, will become bitter if heated.)
Rhubarb Syrup
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
1-1/2 cups coarsely chopped rhubarb
1 Tbsp lemon juice
Mix sugar with 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan.
Bring to boil over medium-high heat.
Stir in rhubarb and remove from heat.
Cover and let steep 1 hour.
Strain, then stir in lemon juice.
1 Tbsp = 49 calories.
Ginger Syrup
Substitute 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh ginger for rhubarb in recipe above.
Lemon Mint Syrup
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint
peel of 1 lemon, chopped
Mix sugar with lemon juice in a small saucepan.
Bring to boil over medium-high heat.
Stir in mint and lemon peel remove from heat.
Cover and let steep 1 hour. Strain.
Cream Soda
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1-1/2 tsp pure vanilla
Mix sugars with water in a small saucepan.
Bring to boil over medium-high heat.
Stir in vanilla and remove from heat.
Cover and let steep 1 hour.
To make soda, add syrup into sparkling water to taste.
Ice Cream Floats
Mix ginger syrup into sparkling water and top with ice cream.
Snow Cones
Pour pink rhubarb syrup over crushed ice in a cup.
Fruit Dip
Combine 3 Tbsp lemon-mint syrup with 1/2 cup Greek yogurt and 1/2 tsp lemon zest.
Mix thoroughly.
Serve as a dip for fresh fruit.
Candied Apple Slices Pancake Topping
Heat a medium non-stick frying pan over medium-high.
Add 1/2 cup Cream Soda Syrup.
Boil till reduced by half, 2-3 min.
Stir in 1 Tbsp butter.
Add 2 sliced red delicious apples.
Cook till apples are tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 4 more min.
Serve over pancakes.
1-1/2 tsp pure vanilla
Mix sugars with water in a small saucepan.
Bring to boil over medium-high heat.
Stir in vanilla and remove from heat.
Cover and let steep 1 hour.
To make soda, add syrup into sparkling water to taste.
Ice Cream Floats
Mix ginger syrup into sparkling water and top with ice cream.
Snow Cones
Pour pink rhubarb syrup over crushed ice in a cup.
Fruit Dip
Combine 3 Tbsp lemon-mint syrup with 1/2 cup Greek yogurt and 1/2 tsp lemon zest.
Mix thoroughly.
Serve as a dip for fresh fruit.
Candied Apple Slices Pancake Topping
Heat a medium non-stick frying pan over medium-high.
Add 1/2 cup Cream Soda Syrup.
Boil till reduced by half, 2-3 min.
Stir in 1 Tbsp butter.
Add 2 sliced red delicious apples.
Cook till apples are tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 4 more min.
Serve over pancakes.
Spiced Caramel Sauce
When carmalizing sugar in water, don't stir it!
Stirring causes the sugar to crystallize.
Let it simmer untouched in this first step.
- 1.5 cups white granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup heavy (whipping) cream
- 5 Tbsp butter
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Use a heavy-bottomed pot.
Heat water and sugar over medium heat, leaving untouched until it turns amber, about 10-15 minutes.
Turn off heat and whisk in heavy cream. Be careful of the steam.
Whisk in butter until melted.
Put pot back on stove on low heat and stir 2-3 minutes until caramel bubbles.
Add salt and spices.
Cool.
Store sauce in fridge for up to 1 week.
Pecan-Caramel Drizzle
Drizzle over ice cream or roasted fruit, like halved pears (Place 8 pears, halved, cut side down in a baking dish and brush with with 2 Tbsp melted coconut oil mixed with 1 tsp ground cinnamon. Cover with foil and roast 15 min. in oven preheated to 400 degrees F, remove foil, continue baking 10-15 minutes more. Remove from oven, cool 5 minutes, top with this sauce.)
- 1-1/2 cups sugar
- 1 (5.4 oz.) can coconut cream
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup toasted pecans
In small saucepan, combine sugar and 1/2 cup water.
Cook on low, stirring to dissolve sugar before it boils.
Brush down sides of pan with pastry brush dipped in ice water to wash sugar crystals back in.
Increase heat to medium.
Simmer until mixture is amber in colour and reaches 285 degrees F. on a candy thermometer, 10 to 15 minutes.
Remove from heat.
Gradually whisk in coconut cream until fully combined (mixture bubbles up a bit).
Let cool to room temperature.
Stir in salt.
Add 3 Tbsp juice from roasted fruit, if making. (Optional)
Fold in pecans.
Chocolate-Caramel Dessert Sauce
- 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut in pieces
- 1/2 cup heavy (whipping) cream, at room temperature
- 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- pinch of salt
- 2 oz chocolate, chopped
In a small pot, combine sugar and 2 Tbsp water.
Cook on medium until amber in colour, 4-5 minutes.
Remove from heat.
Whisk in butter, then heavy cream, cocoa powder and salt till dissolved.
Add chocolate, don't stir, let sit 3 minutes.
Stir in chocolate till melted and smooth. For very smooth sauce, use immersion blender.
