Monica's favorite gear for
making Mint Syrup
Tie the mint bundle together with this twine so it's manageable for quicky placing it in boiling water and then ice water.
This is the type of syrup dispenser you see at pancake restaurants. It has a convenient retracting spout so it's easy to neatly dispense a small amount of syrup. I store my mint syrup in this dispenser in my fridge.
Use this to strain any bits of mint from the syrup.
This is my go-to mixing bowl. It's also handy for straining the syrup. The strainer nests inside it perfectly.
This handy tongs get lots of use in my kitchen. I used them for blancing the mint bunder in boiling water.
If you do a lot of blending, this one is the best! I used it to puree the mint and syrup. For a more economical option, see the Breville blender below.

Mint Simple Syrup | only 3 ingredients

flavor cocktails, cocoa, lemonade, sparkling water, hot and cold tea


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Mint Simple Syrup

By Monica              makes 1-3/4 cups
Mint Syrup is easy to make and adds instant, refreshing mint flavor to cocktails (like mojitos), hot cocoa, lemonade, sparkling water, and hot and cold tea. #theyummylife #mint #syrup #cocktails #icedtea #cocktailmixer

Use this syrup to add refreshing mint flavor to cocktails, hot cocoa, lemonade, sparkling water, hot and cold tea.

Ingredients
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 8-10 fresh mint sprigs (approx. 1/2 oz.)

Directions
MAKE A RICH SIMPLE SYRUP: Combine sugar and water in saucepan and heat over medium heat until sugar is dissolved and mixture is simmering; cover pan and continue to simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely.

BLANCH THE MINT: Add ice cubes to a medium bowl, fill with cool tap water, and set aside. Using kitchen twine to tie mint sprigs into a bundle. Fill a small saucepan with water, bring it to a boil, immerse mint bundle in boiling water for 15 seconds. Immediately immerse in bowl of ice water, leaving it there for 1 minute. Separate mint springs and pat dry on a towel. Remove mint leaves from stems; discard stems.

BLEND AND STRAIN SYRUP: Add cooled sugar syrup and mint leaves to blender. Puree for 1 minute. Set a fine wire mesh strainer over a bowl and pour blended mixture through it to remove any remaining bits of mint.

Store in jar or syrup dispenser in fridge for 2-4 weeks.

Based on recipe from Imbibe.com.

I love it when restaurants serve a simple sugar syrup along with a glass of iced tea. It instantly stirs in, unlike granulated sugar that needs to be stirred and stirred and stirred. At home, I like to kick the sweetened syrups up a notch by adding flavors to them. That way, I can keep a plain pitcher of tea in the fridge and instantly stir in a flavored syrup to add both sweetener and whatever flavor I'm in the mood for. I've already shared my recipes for Cinnamon Simple Syrup and Pumpkin Spice Simple Syrup and Natural Fruit & Herb Honey Syrups--those are all tasty stirred into a variety of hot and cold drinks and cocktails.

Today, I'm adding my Mint Simple Syrup recipe to the mix. I love its refreshing taste, vivid green color, and versatility for use in cocktails, hot cocoa, lemonade, and hot or cold tea. I especially love using this mint syrup in mojitos, iced tea, and sparkling water.

Step-by-step photos for making
Mint Simple Syrup

 

Step 1. Assemble these 3 ingredients:

  • fresh mint
  • sugar
  • water

IMG_0339ingredients.jpg

Step 2. Make a simple syrup, which is made by heating water and sugar over medium heat until the sugar dissolves into a clear syrup. A "simple syrup" uses a 1 to 1 ratio of sugar to water. A "rich simple syrup" uses a 2 to 1 ratio of sugar to water for a more concentrated, thicker syrup. A rich syrup needs to be covered and simmered for 10 minutes to avoid chrystallization. I use a rich simple syrup in this recipe, but either will work.

collage_SyrupInPan.jpg

You will end up with approx. 1-3/4 cups of rich simple syrup. Allow it to cool completely.

collage_SyrupDone.jpg

  • How to retain the green color. Most mint syrup recipes involve simmering the mint in the water with the simple syrup to extract the mint flavor. However, the mint oxidizes and turns brown as it cooks, resulting in a brown syrup with an unappealing appearance. I learned a different method from Imbibe.com. When mint is quickly blanched in boiling water and immediately plunged into an ice water bath, it halts the plant's enzymes from causing the mint to turn brown. Then the leaves are pureed and left in the syrup. The result is a beautifully bright green, flavorful syrup.

 IMG_0461comparing_1400.jpg

Step 3. Before blanching the mint, tie it into a bundle using kitchen twine so it's easier to manage. Make a bundle of 8 to 10 mint sprigs--approx. 1/2 oz. of mint.

Collage_MintSprigs.jpg

Step 4. Immerse the mint bundle into boiling water for 15 seconds (no longer!)

Step 5. Immediately immerse the mint into a bowl of ice water for 1 minute.

Collage_Blanching.jpg

Click here to see it in action
Click to pause

Step 6. Pat the mint dry on a towel and separate the leaves from the stems.

Collage_RemoveLeaves.jpg

Step 7. Add blanched mint leaves and cooled syrup to a blender and puree for 1 minute.

  • view on Amazon:  Vitamix blender (the best!), Breville blender (recommended by Cook's Illustrated as a "best buy")

Collage_Blended.jpg

Step 8. Pour blended mixture through a fine mesh wire strainer to remove any remaining mint bits.

Collage_strain_1.jpg

Click here to see it in action
Click to pause

Done! It's so easy to make and great to have on hand. 

Store it in a jar in the fridge. It will be good for 2 to 4 weeks.

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I like to use a pancake house syrup server for storing my mint syrup in the fridge. It's easy to neatly dispense a little bit of syrup at a time.

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Click here to see it in action
Click to pause

Make it a Yummy day!

Monica

Link directly to this recipe
Mint Simple Syrup
By Monica              Servings: makes 1-3/4 cups
Ingredients
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 8-10 fresh mint sprigs (approx. 1/2 oz.)
Directions
MAKE A RICH SIMPLE SYRUP: Combine sugar and water in saucepan and heat over medium heat until sugar is dissolved and mixture is simmering; cover pan and continue to simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely.

BLANCH THE MINT: Add ice cubes to a medium bowl, fill with cool tap water, and set aside. Using kitchen twine to tie mint sprigs into a bundle. Fill a small saucepan with water, bring it to a boil, immerse mint bundle in boiling water for 15 seconds. Immediately immerse in bowl of ice water, leaving it there for 1 minute. Separate mint springs and pat dry on a towel. Remove mint leaves from stems; discard stems.

BLEND AND STRAIN SYRUP: Add cooled sugar syrup and mint leaves to blender. Puree for 1 minute. Set a fine wire mesh strainer over a bowl and pour blended mixture through it to remove any remaining bits of mint.

Store in jar or syrup dispenser in fridge for 2-4 weeks.

Based on recipe from Imbibe.com.



Posted on Thursday, April 12th, 2018
Tags: Beverages

Looking for holiday gifts for the foodie in your life?
Here are a few gift guides I made to help:








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