Simpler Syrup
April 18, 2011
In my latest post for FineCooking.com, I look again at simple syrup.
You may recall a few years ago I compared the spoilage time of simple syrup with different ratios (1:1, 2:1) and with a shot of vodka added as a preservative.
Since then I've learned a couple of things. First off, you don't need to heat simple syrup to get it into a solution. 1:1 and 2:1 syrup will go into solution just by shaking the bottle of sugar and water. 3:1 syrup apparently will not go into solution without heat. The picture on this post is my attempts to try, repeatedly shaking the jar for three or four days. Some of the sugar always settles to the bottom.
Also, I learned that unheated simple syrup is more viscous than syrup made by heating.
Professional syrup maker Jennifer Colliau explains, “Sucrose is comprised of a fructose molecule and a glucose molecule bonded together. When you heat it with water, you begin the inversion process whereby the bonds are broken, and you end up with glucose-fructose syrup, also known as invert syrup. It takes a while to fully invert it, but heating it at all makes it partially invert. Sucrose is more viscous than either glucose or fructose. So cold-dissolved simple is more viscous.”
As with everything, simple syrup seems just that, until you start messing with it.
Those syrup posts before are how I found this blog a few months back, after my syrup molded. So far the vodka has seemed to help a lot, so thanks for that idea. Interesting about making cold syrup, I may have to try that next time.
Posted by: KR | April 18, 2011 at 10:20 AM
HI Camper, one of the advantages of inverted syrup is the longer shelf life, since it is more stable than regular syrup.
Worth pointing out that it is good to use Simple syrup / inverted one when mixing with lemon juice, since granulated sugar will sweet less if undiluted. That is a good experiment for example, when comparing Tom Collins' with granulated sugar (IBA recipe) or with simple syrup (more contemporary practice). Mixing a certain amount of lemon juice with a quantity of granulated sugar, an then the same measures but the sugar previously diluted; usually the second will be sweeter. Maybe that's the reason why old bartenders added an extra spoon of powdered sugar to their fizzes / Collins. D. Wondrich said in Imbibe! that it adds an extra and instant fizzyness, which is also true.
Cheers!
Posted by: LR | April 20, 2011 at 12:13 AM
Thanks Lucas- very interesting. I almost never use granulated sugar, because I don't like the granules in my cocktails, but I wonder if invert vs. cold diffused syrup shows the same effect.
Posted by: Camper English | April 20, 2011 at 11:01 AM
Try a Tom Collins with granulated sugar and another one with Simple syrup. I believe that once you get the right balance of sweetness / Acidity, the granulated sugar adds a crunchy texture (some undissolved granules, though avoid the nasty pile of sugar in the bottom, very unpleasant) that makes it more interesting than simple syrup.(that's my personal opinion and feedback from customers).
cheers!
Posted by: L ucas R | April 24, 2011 at 12:28 PM