Blood Orange Syrup

This homemade blood orange syrup will be your new favorite addition to your bar! It goes perfectly in both cocktails and mocktails and could not be any easier to make. All you need is sugar and fresh blood oranges.

Why you will love this recipe

• Easy
• Quick
• Only 2 ingredients
• Stays fresh for a long time
• Elevates your drinks

Citrus season is still going and it is getting warmer and warmer outside. Time to elevate our drinks with some fresh, floral citrus kick! A favorite in our house is a blood orange simple syrup

Making blood orange simple syrup really could not be any easier. You simply throw everything into a pot, let it cook and in just a few minutes you have your simple syrup ready. All you have to do now is add it to your favorite drink! (freeze the syrup to be able to use it quicker)

On top of that you only need two ingredients to make this delicious simple syrup! So, you better go get some citrus fruits and get cooking! Even if you do not use your syrup right away, when keeping it in a sealed, sterilized bottle you can keep it for about a month as long as you keep it in the fridge.

Ingredients needed for homemade blood orange simple syrup

• Fresh Blood Oranges
• Sugar

Yup, you really just need 2 ingredients to make a simple syrup like this one! This recipe only uses the juice of the blood oranges.

However, do not just throw away the orange peels! There are great ways to reduce our food waste and make something delicious out of the peels. You can use the zest for many different bakes or make this orange peel tea out of them before then composting the peels. You could even make a second syrup but replace the juice with water and let the peels steep in the syrup till it is cooled.

What is simple syrup?

Simple syrup in its purest form is just water and sugar mixed together on the stove to create a clear liquid. Simple syrup can be flavored by using different kinds of sugars and infusing it with different kinds of fruits, herbs, spices and even teas.

Syrups are generally found in two different strenghts:

One-to-one:

This is the most commonly used syrup in the US and simply is made out of equal parts sugar and water (1:1).

Rich simple syrup:

In the UK you usually will find a 2:1 ratio, so 2 parts sugar to one part water. This version is much sweeter and therefore often is referred to as rich simple syrup.

How to make blood orange syrup

Cooking up blood orange syrup is super simple and done is less than 10 minutes. It is important that you use a bottle with a tight seal which you have sterilized beforehand. Here is an article explaining you different ways to sterilize your bottles.

Find the full recipe instructions in the recipe ecard below.

Squeeze out the juice from the blood oranges and pour it into a small saucepan.

Add the sugar and start bringing the mixture to a boil.

Stir till the sugar is dissolved.

Turn off the heat and pour the warm syrup into a sterilized bottle.

Chefs tip

If your citrus Press does not hold back all the pulp then use a sive or strainer when pouring the blood orange juice into the pan to make sure that there is no more pulp left.

Storage

Keep your syrup in a tightly sealed bottle in the fridge for up to a month, sometimes even longer. You can extend the shelf life to 6 months when freezing the syrup.

You will know that your syrup is spoiled when it starts to smell weird, look cloudy or even show mold. If this is the case and you should discard your syrup.

Variations

Of course you do not have to use blood oranges. Simple syrup really is just sugar mixed with a liquid like fruit juice or water and sometimes other fruits, herbs, spices or even tea are added. Here are a few other citrus variations I can only highly recommend to add to your collection:

• Orange
• Lemon
• Grapefruit

The recipe works the same way with all citrus fruits.

Ways to use this blood orange syrup

Simple syrups like this recipe here are perfect for various drinks. However, it does not stop there! They are also perfect to add to your desserts!

Here are some ideas:

• Cocktails: citrusy syrups like this one are perfect for any kind of cocktail! They give the drink a nice sweet and floral flavor.
• Mocktails: Especially in mocktails a blood orange syrup can be perfect to give a flavor as there is no alcohol used in it.
• Iced Teas & lemonades: This citrusy syrup is the perfect addition to your iced teas and lemonades
• Water: Flavor your water with a splash of the syrup! Super quick and refreshing drink! It also tastes amazing when mixed in with teas like black or green tea if you prefer your tea sweetened.
• Desserts: This syrup is perfect to infuse your cake layers. It is also delicious when mixed into creams like in a tiramisu. Depending on what you make you might have to reduce the syrup to get a thicker consistency.
• Breakfast: Use it to pour over your pancakes, waffles or french toast!
• Freeze: A fun way to use the syrup is to freeze it in an ice cube tray and then add to any cold drink. It will slowly dissolve and melt into the drink.

Frequently asked questions

Q: How long can I keep simple syrup?

A: If kept in a sealed, clean bottle this syrup will last for about a month in the fridge.

Q: Can I use the syrup right away?

A: If you made your syrup at last minute you can pop it in the freezer for about 15 minutes. Check on it every 5 minutes and give it a quick shake or stir to help it cool faster. I do not recommend serving it right off the stove but it can be served while still warm, at room temperature or if for drinks cold.

Q: My syrup is not thick enough for me, how can I make a thicker simple syrup?

A: Have you used the 1:1 or the 2:1 ratio? The 1:1 ratio makes a less thick syrup while the 2:1 makes a thicker but also sweeter syrup.

To get a thicker consistency simply keep cooking your syrup till it is reduced to the consistency you want. The syrup will thicken up a bit when cooling tough, so keep that in mind.

Q: Can I freeze my simple syrup?

A: Absolutely! Simple syrup can easily be frozen. When frozen simple syrup stays fresh for up to 6 months.

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