5 Smart Ways to Use Syrups in Cooking and More

Syrups are not new to the culinary world. But lately they have become something of a trend due to the richness of taste they add to dishes, baked goods and, of course, drinks.

In baked goods, the syrup is added as an ingredient to add sweetness, and in other dishes it can be used as a topping, such as French toast, waffles or pancakes. In beverages, syrups are also used to sweeten or enhance flavor, such as in coffee, tea, cocktails and other drinks.

Fashion for fruit syrups.
Some people believe that fruit syrups are somehow healthier than refined white sugar. There's a lot of debate and no definitive answer, but the fact remains that if something can be healthier and still taste better... well, we humans are usually happy to accept it.

5 Ways to Use Syrups

1. Baking

This is perhaps one of the easiest ways to use syrups in cooking. If you're planning on experimenting with fruit-flavored syrup , any baking recipe that contains maple syrup can be adapted to suit your needs by simply substituting the maple syrup of your choice. Remember, you can always get creative with your ingredients and get some seriously mouth-watering flavors. For example, cranberry syrup can be amazing in an apple muffin, while cherry or raspberry syrup can add fruity richness to a smooth chocolate cake. Don't forget about the possibility of using syrups to soak the cakes or add them directly to the dough to add flavor.

2. Drinks

Syrups are easy to use to sweeten hot or cold drinks. In winter, they can be mixed with cocoa powder and a pinch of cinnamon to make rich hot chocolate, added to hot lemon tea, or used to balance the sweetness and acidity of mulled wine. Well, everyone with a sweet tooth adds syrup to their coffee ; this is already a kind of classic that has stood the test of time. Tastes change, but the tradition of adding syrup to coffee remains unchanged.

In the summer (and winter too), fruit syrups are great for making delicious mocktails, making homemade lemonade or iced tea. Since they are liquid, they dissolve much better than granulated sugar. When using regular white sugar to make cold drinks, you usually have to boil it with water to create a simple syrup. Using fruit syrup eliminates this step.

Of course, you shouldn't miss out on alcoholic cocktails, which often contain syrups in the list of ingredients. No Pina Colada, Daiquiri, Mojito, Long Island or Cosmopolitan is complete without the addition of syrup. However, today the variety of syrup flavors allows us to experiment more and more and discover new combinations of classic cocktails.

3. Sauces and marinades

As a rule, recipes for sauces and marinades with syrups use a direct 1:1 ratio. But you can start with a smaller amount and add little by little to achieve the desired taste. Try adding fruit syrups to your sauce, such as pineapple, citrus, peach, apricot or apple - this will greatly diversify your culinary experience and help you create unique dishes simply by changing the syrup from one sauce ingredient to another!

For marinades, maple syrup is generally the most popular choice. Ribs, chicken or pork are marinated in it, which gives the meat a pleasant smoky-woody taste during cooking. However, many fruit syrups also pair well with acid. Try mixing strawberry syrup and balsamic vinegar, pomegranate syrup and white wine, blueberry syrup and apple cider vinegar, apricot syrup and Dijon mustard... the possibilities are endless!

4. Topping for desserts or a delicious breakfast

If you like to treat yourself to a delicious breakfast in the morning, then there is nothing easier and better than adding syrup as a topping to your morning dish! Whether it's oatmeal, yogurt, grain cottage cheese or pancakes, cheesecakes or pancakes - their familiar and favorite taste can be diversified by adding syrup. By the way, if you choose fruit options from trusted manufacturers, you can add not only taste, but also benefits to your morning meal. Many fruit syrups contain natural juice and vitamins that can balance your daily diet.

And, of course, the classic way of using syrups as ttopping is pouring over ice cream, a piece of hot pie or muffin. Or add to fruit salad as a dressing. Speaking of salad dressings! We'll talk about this in the next paragraph!

5. Salad dressing

The most important components of any good salad dressing are: Acid. Oil. Salt. And sugar.

Yes, sugar. Think of how a few drops of golden honey complement a peppery Dijon vinaigrette. Sugar is a seasoning like any other: when added in the right amount, it can balance and soften other flavors. But in our case, we replace sugar with syrup , which allows us to enjoy all the possible benefits: for example, without whipping the dressing, working on our hands, waiting for all the grains of sugar to dissolve in the liquid. Syrup is a universal, but not obvious, solution when it comes to preparing salad dressings. And you can easily become the first among your friends to try and love this unusual dressing ingredient.

For example, maple syrup is a great accent for salads with earthy root vegetables, toasted ingredients and toasted nuts.

The acidity and sweetness of the fruit softens the richness of the dairy - the balance is simply delicious. Add orange syrup to a ginger dressing or use apricot syrup in your next blue cheese salad.

Here are just a few fun and delicious ways to use syrups wisely. Remember that your possibilities are endless, and the process is limited only by your imagination and the availability of suitable syrup in the kitchen.

Delicious experiments!