Simple Syrup

[jgarner53]

Survey time here.

I've heard and read of simple syrups being anywhere from 3 parts water to 1 part sugar to equal parts sugar and water (by volume) to 1 part water to two parts sugar. My pastry instructor has said one cup water to 2/3 cup sugar.

If you google "simple syrup," you get the whole gamut.

I know that different viscosities of syrup have different uses: thinner for brushing cake layers, thicker for uses in mixed drinks or candies.

Is there a definitive answer on what is the basic simple syrup? If you asked an assistant, say, to make simple syrup, would you provide a ratio, or expect that he or she would know which one to make?

[FistFullaRoux]

Being there are so many options, it would be like telling an assistant to "cook an egg", without specifying.

The "standard" as I know it is 50/50 sugar and water, heated until the sugar dissolves. It's what I would make if asked for a simple syrup.

[z_spatula]

50/50 (H20 to Sucrose) from when I was in culinary school. Heat until dissolves the let cool to room temp. Can store in the walk-in or barbacks. Keeps well. My bar manager at one of my former restaurants that I owned also used 50/50.

[slbunge]

Hate to be a rube here but 50/50 by volume or by weight?

[fiftydollars]

Hate to be a rube here but 50/50 by volume or by weight?

←

I go by weight.

[slkinsey]

For bars, the most typical simple syrup is 1:1 by volume. At this ratio, by the way, no heating is required. Just a little patience.

[chefpeon]

Hate to be a rube here but 50/50 by volume or by weight?

I've done both. I've weighed 5 lbs sugar and 5 lbs water, and I've measured 5 cups sugar and 5 cups water. Either one works the same for me.

I also concur on the 50/50 thing. That's what I was taught, and that's what seems to work.

[nightscotsman]

50/50 by weight.

[rlibkind]

I've used Sam's 50/50by volume for beverages and it's perfect. Easy, too, just put the ingredients into a container, shake, let stand, shake some more, etc. No heating.

[JeanneCake]

I use 50/50 by weight, too. My instructor used to float a vanilla bean in the container we used for cake syrups.

On average, how long does your 50/50 syrup last before it get cloudy or shows signs of being unusable? I can't seem to keep it at room temp for more than a week or 10 days; and in the walk-in, it isn't more than two weeks if I'm lucky. It seems to me it should keep longer than this....

[andiesenji]

If you heat the syrup to dissolve the sugar and bring it up to 165 degrees and hold it at that temp for 10 minutes, then immediately pour it into sterilized bottles with a tight seal, you can keep it at room temperature or in the fridge for much longer if you invert the bottle.

The point is to keep air away from the surface of the syrup (or any condiment or jam or jelly). Oxygen is the great destroyer and reducing the exposure will preserve anything such as this much longer.

don't shake the syrup to mix the sugar, heat it unless you are going to use it all at once or within a day. Oxygenating the mixture by shaking just promotes growth of some of the bacteria that cause the clouding.

When you need to pour out some of the syrup, set the bottle or jar upright for a couple of minutes to allow the syrup to drain away from the top. Remove the top and pour out what you need, then wipe the top and immediately reclose and invert.

[Woods]

Survey time here.

I've heard and read of simple syrups being anywhere from 3 parts water to 1 part sugar to equal parts sugar and water (by volume) to 1 part water to two parts sugar. My pastry instructor has said one cup water to 2/3 cup sugar.

If you google "simple syrup," you get the whole gamut.

I know that different viscosities of syrup have different uses: thinner for brushing cake layers, thicker for uses in mixed drinks or candies.

Is there a definitive answer on what is the basic simple syrup? If you asked an assistant, say, to make simple syrup, would you provide a ratio, or expect that he or she would know which one to make?

←

We use 1:1 since we usually flavor them with liquor or liquor concentrate. I use 2:1 for savarin etc.

[Tepee]

I make mine 50/50 by volume, mainly for making modelling chocolate. Since so little is needed, I store mine in a sterilised bottle. No bacteria after more than a month.

[Pan]

Not to be smart with you, Tepee, but I'd be willing to bet you a large sum of money that if you looked under a microscope, you'd see bacteria in your simple syrup. Even double-distilled water gets contaminated by bacteria in short order, as my brother found out when he used to work in a lab.

But more to the point, without resort to a microscope, how does one know when simple syrup is no good, and what makes it no good?

Edited November 20, 2004 by Pan (log)

[devinf]

50/50 brought to a boil for a couple of minutes will do the trick. It should last a week or two, maybe longer - dunno for sure, mine never maks it that long.

Or if you want to get really technical, get a Baume meter which registers the density of sugar. The 1:1 ratio should get you 25 Baume. If you want a long-term syrup solution that will last for awhile in your fridge, do a 1:1.25 water/sugar mix and shoot for 29 Baume. At 29 the solution is considered "saturated" and it will keep for a long time without crystalization or going sour.

Devin

[KarenS]

If I said "simple syrup"- I would go to equal amounts (by weight and volumne). I use others though- sometimes it is too sweet for fruit, and sometimes I increase the sugar when candying citrus.

[Tepee]

Not to be smart with you, Tepee, but I'd be willing to bet you a large sum of money that if you looked under a microscope, you'd see bacteria in your simple syrup. Even double-distilled water gets contaminated by bacteria in short order, as my brother found out when he used to work in a lab.

But more to the point, without resort to a microscope, how does one know when simple syrup is no good, and what makes it no good?

←

Actually, I did feel I should have used the word "mould" instead of bacteria. <<<Sheepish Look>>>

[Pan]

Not to be smart with you, Tepee, but I'd be willing to bet you a large sum of money that if you looked under a microscope, you'd see bacteria in your simple syrup. Even double-distilled water gets contaminated by bacteria in short order, as my brother found out when he used to work in a lab.

But more to the point, without resort to a microscope, how does one know when simple syrup is no good, and what makes it no good?

←

Actually, I did feel I should have used the word "mould" instead of bacteria. <<<Sheepish Look>>>

←

Oh, well that explains it!

But I'd still like to know what makes simple syrup no good. A mold infestation only?

[tan319]

I use weight to measure for it.

Usually results in 24 baume.

[Wendy DeBord]

Ditto the 50/50......I bring it up to a boil then turn it off imediately. The longer it boils the denser it becomes............then you don't have a 50/50.

[sugarseattle]

I've made simple syrup several times, and each time I make it I think I should make a little bit more and store it. Problem is, after a few days, it crystallizes. I've tried all the usual tricks...

- using a squirt of corn syrup

- making sure to wash the sides

- making sure all sugar crystals are dissolved before it comes to a boil

I don't have the ratio I'm using right off the top of my head. Anybody have any foolproof recipes/techniques that store well?

[sanrensho]

I use a 30 degree Baume syrup with the following ratios (I usually scale down to 1/2 or 1/4 this amount):

1 liter water

1,350 grams sugar

Bring to boil until dissolved and cool. That's it. Lasts indefinitely (at least 6 months) in the fridge, stored in a standard plastic container. I've never had it crystallize on me and use no other precautions.

Edited May 15, 2007 by sanrensho (log)

[slkinsey]

The ratio is crucial. Sounds like it's over-saturated. Also, presumably you are using the corn syrup with the idea that glucose helps to prevent crystalization? Keep in mind that corn syrup, Karo for example, can be as little as 15% to 20% glucose.

[alanamoana]

if your ratio is off to begin with or you boil it for an extended amount of time, you'll get crystallization. most simple syrup recipes are just 1:1 by weight of sugar to water. if you're really lazy, you can do it by volume, but you won't get as much sugar in there...depends on what you're using it for. if you cook it too long, you're boiling off too much water, changing the ratio and possibly super-saturating your solution which causes it to crystallize.

[khilde]

I made simple syrups frequenty, and use a ratio of 1:1. You just want to heat the mixture up to the point where you can see that all the sugar has dissolved -- no longer!!