Syrup Question.

[Keaniebean]

I've got lots of lovely herbs outside, namely, Lavender, Mint, Rosemary and Thyme and I wanted to make some syrups out of them.

The recipie I found calls fro 200ml of water and 200g of sugar with a few sprigs of the herb of choice in, but it also says it will only keep for a week in the fridge.

Does anyone have any experience with the syrups and will they not keep any longer if put into hot sterilised jars/bottles?

[AnnaD]

If you put them in hot sterilised jars they'll keep for a month. If you then put the filled jars in a waterbath for 20 minutes, they'll keep for up to a year. I made some mint syrup recently, which is lovely! I put them in the waterbath so they'll keep for longer.

[Carltonian Man]

I'm not sure about syrups KB but I read somewhere that if you use fresh herbs for infusing in oil the water content inside the herb can go off and salmonella can grow. Maybe that's why your recipe recommends only keeping it a week. On the other hand you could perhaps infuse with fresh herbs whilst making the syrup and add a dried sprig when bottling.

[AnnaD]

The recipe I used said to pound the fresh mint in sugar and leave it to macerate overnight. That could be to help preserve it I suppose, as well as bringing out as much flavour as possible.

[thesunflowergal]

What would you use these syrups for? I have lots of rosemary, mint and lavender it would be grat to use them in a differnt way.

Sorry if I have hijacked the thread.

Nikki

[AnnaD]

The mint one is really nice as a summer drink, diluted in water. I've also made icelollies out of it. Might be nice on icecream too!

[Keaniebean]

Thanks for all those tips , I think I'll try the water bath method and hopefully they will keep for the year.

Thesunflowergal I was planning on using them for a bit of all sorts really, mostly desserts. Think lemon drizzle cake but with herb syrups instead, or with ice cream or pancakes. Also in salad dressings mixed with a bit of vinegar and oil, or even on meats before cooking.
If you have got that many herbs you could make some for yourself and give others as gifts, maybe with a recipie suggestions attcached to it so the recipient doesnt go the minute your back is turned .

[thesunflowergal]

Thanks both!!

Arrrr a great Christmas hamper idea Sarah, thank you. Just need to get some more bottles, have used all of mine with cordials.

[Sky]

Am enthused to expand my herb garden now from reading this thread!

[Millymollymandy]

You might like this recipe posted a couple of years ago for Lemon Polenta Cake with Rosemary Syrup. I can vouch for the syrup, it's yummy! Any plainish cake recipe will go with it such as lemon yoghurt cake.

http://www.selfsufficientish.com/forum/ ... lenta+cake

[Keaniebean]

Thanks MMM, looks scrummy, but I can't think of many cakes I don't like

[Susie]

That looks a delicious cake, will have to try it

[Keaniebean]

Well I made my mint syrup today from the chocolate mint in the garden. Stupid me was expecting tonnes of it but in the end I ended up with 2 large jars full. The jars were used as I ran out of bottles.

I bought a vanilla cheesecake covered with sliced homegrown strawberries and then drizzled some mint syrup over the top .

It was amazingly tasty, but I'm certainly not going to have to worry about keeping it for too long. One of the jars was pinched by my mum and the other is already open and being consumed

[Millymollymandy]

That sounds lovely (apart from the vanilla ). I wish my mint would grow but it's been woody and doing nothing ever since my housesitters forgot to water it back in April. I've divided one plant up and repotted so hope to get some new growth at some point as I wanted to make mint jelly!

[Silver Ether]

oooh inspired .... I have a large lemon balm, plant and never use much of it so looked up a syrup recipe and as all syrup very easy so going to do this and freeze some as it will keep for a month in the fridge so by freezing I will be able to thaw and put in nice bottles for Yule gifts ... Thanks