Simple Syrup

You must think I am bonkers! Now who writes an entire blogpost regarding simple syrup! But here's the deal. I have been thinking of adding a "cocktail" section to my blog. I have been sitting on this idea for a while now and its about time it sees the light of the day.

Simple Syrup is one of the ingredients in many cocktail recipes. And bakers use simple syrup to keep their layers of cake moist. Sometimes, I add a fat pinch of instant coffee granules to my simple syrup and spray/brush my chocolate cakes with it. It just kicks up the chocolaty taste several notches.

Simple Syrup also comes in handy when you have to concoct a limeade or a lemonade in a jiffy!

Another idea that I have been toying with is making a video series with the 6.5 yo. His summer vacation has started so we have plenty of time on hand. He loves to bake and cannot wait to start learning how to cook. He's an ardent fan of the Food Network series "Chopped" and secretly wishes to be a part-time paleontologist and part-time pastry chef. Though dinosaurs are his first love, baking/cooking comes in a close second or perhaps a third!

You can buy simple syrup at your local grocery store, but I prefer making my own. 

Use the same cup measure to measure out the water and sugar. The measurements are pretty simple - just follow a 1:1 ratio. For each cup of water, use one cup of sugar. 

• Water - 1 Cup
• Sugar - 1 Cup

Gently heat the sugar and water on medium low heat, stirring often till the sugar completely dissolves. Let it cool down before transferring to an airtight glass jar (I used a mason jar). Store it in the fridge for up to a month. 

You can infuse your simple syrup with different flavors - mint, orange, strawberry - just get creative with it!