Mixed Berry Syrup Recipe - The Carefree Kitchen (2024)

FAQs

How long does homemade berry syrup last in the fridge? ›

A traditional syrup has a 1-to-1 ratio and will last for about a month with basic refrigeration. However, if you make a rich syrup by increasing the sugar to water ratio to 2-to-1, you can increase this time frame significantly. It can be expected to last for about six months in the fridge.

Make a 1:1 ratio of cornstarch and water.

In a small bowl, combine equal amounts of cornstarch and warm water, starting with 3 tablespoons (44 mL) of each. Mix them together with a spoon until they form a gritty paste. Cornstarch is a thickening agent that won't change the flavor of your syrup.

When making berry syrups at home, the product can either be canned or frozen. When canning berry syrups, leave ½ inch headspace in jars and process in a boiling water bath canner. If freezing berry syrups, leave 1 inch of headspace in jars to allow for expansion during freezing.

It is incredibly easy to make, therefore I prefer to do it myself, so I have a bit more control over how much sugar goes into my co*cktails. Simple syrup made this way have a shelf life of 1-2 weeks in a fridge. Rich syrup, however have a shelf life of months (sometimes more than half a year) if kept in a fridge.

The short answer is technically no, syrup does not expire.

Note that rich simple syrup, which contains twice as much sugar, will last for longer. It still should be refrigerated, but you'll notice that its shelf life is much greater than basic 1:1 simple syrup. If you have the storage space, you can absolutely store your simple syrup in the freezer!

If you think the syrup is done, take it off the fire and let it cool a bit. As it cools it should start to thicken if it has turned into syrup. If the syrup is still not thick enough it can be returned to the heat and boiled some more.

Boil it more. Maple syrup is typically boiled down to 219 degrees Fahrenheit. If you have syrup that was boiled to less than that, or you like your syrup thicker than standard, just put it in a pot on the stove and boil it to your desired temperature. 240 degrees will get you maple syrup candy.

Stirring or bumping the pot can result in sugar clumping together and hardening into crystals. If you're making syrup with water, stir the sugar into the water to fully dissolve it before you add heat. Use a clean spoon every time you need to stir. The same goes for candy thermometers and any utensils.

Increase the sugar level - Higher sugar levels reduce water availability to microorganisms. Bring your sugar level (brix) up to at least 50. That means equal parts sugar and water by weight (not by volume). Add alcohol – 15% or so of alcohol helps work as a preservative environment; the higher the better.

How much pectin to thicken syrup? ›

If you want it slightly thicker, you can add a small amount of powdered pectin (less than half a 2 ounce box) to the cold syrup and sugar mixture.

Citric Acid is the recommended acid for use with the Sodium Benzoate. However, most other approved food acids such as phosphoric, tartaric and Malic acids will suffice. Simple syrup can be preserved for months by adding 1 ounce of sodium benzoate with ¼ ounce of citric acid, per gallon of simple syrup.

Simple syrup can be frozen! It freezes solid and will stay good frozen for up to 3 months. If you plan to go this route, use a plastic container rather than a glass container. Non-tempered glass can break when frozen, and that is a mess none of us want on our hands!

A traditional syrup has a 1-to-1 ratio and will last for about a month with basic refrigeration. However, if you make a rich syrup by increasing the sugar to water ratio to 2-to-1, you can increase this time frame significantly. It can be expected to last for about six months in the fridge.

Unflavored syrup can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month. However, flavored syrups (especially fruit-flavored) should be used within 2 weeks of when they're made. I usually keep mine in a mason jar but any airtight container with a good lid will work great.

As it turns out, maple syrup does have a shelf life once opened, and mold is not as uncommon as we thought. StillTasty.com indicates that 100 percent pure maple syrup should keep for a year unopened in the pantry, a year opened in the refrigerator, and indefinitely in the freezer.

Refrigerate syrup in a glass container up to one month. For longer storage, heat syrup and keep hot while filling half-pint or pint jars to ½-inch headspace. Process half-pints or pints of fruit syrup in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes (at 0 to 1,000 feet).

Storage and Freezing

Store the syrup in a bottle or mason jar in the fridge for up to 2 months. Pour the syrup into ice cube trays and freeze it for up to 3 months. This is a convenient and excellent way to have strawberry syrup, even when it's not fresh strawberry season.