This Lemon Simple Syrup recipe is easy to make and bursting with tangy, lemon flavour. Just 2 ingredients and you can have fresh homemade lemon syrup for pancakes, cocktails, lemonade, for cake – the options are endless.
For best results, always weigh ingredients where a weight is provided
Instructions
Use a peeler to peel just the yellow part of the skin from one lemon, not the white part (notes).
Juice enough lemons to reach one cup of strained lemon juice.
Add the peel of one lemon, the one cup of lemon juice and the cup of sugar to a large heavy-based saucepan over medium heat.
Bring the mixture slowly to a boil, while stirring, to dissolve the sugar. Let it boil away, stirring only every now and then, until it starts to thicken and starts reducing (see notes for consistency) - it will vary depending on what you are using it for.
Strain the peel out of the syrup, then pour into sterilised bottles.
Notes
Equipment used: heavy based saucepan, Weck preserving jars
The white part of the lemon peel is bitter, so try to leave that behind and only get the yellow part.
You only need the peel of one lemon for this recipe but you can go ahead and zest all the lemons like this or with a microplane, then freeze the rest for use in other dishes (add to the cavity of roast chicken for instance or fine zest is lovely added to cakes).
The lemon juice will keep for months stored in sterilised bottles, but once a bottle is opened, try to use it within a couple of weeks.
For a lighter flavour, replace some of the lemon juice in the recipe with water, then continue as per the recipe.
Consistency: Reduced by half is good for serving warm over desserts or at room temperature (where it will be the thickness of maple syrup). If you'll be serving it with anything cold, just let the sugar dissolve then bubble for another 30 seconds or so. If it's too thick it will become too firm once cool. You can thin the consistency after cooking if you need by adding a little water.
Don't use this straight from the stove but it can be served warm or room temperature.
Have you tried this recipe?Don't forget to leave a rating and comment below and let me know how it was! I love hearing from you. Nutrition information is approximate and derived from an online calculator. The brands you use may cause variations.