Step 1

This recipe makes 1-1/3 cups of lemon simple syrup, enough for 5 individual lemon soda drinks or one large 48-ounce glass picture of lemon soda.

Step 2

Wash the outside the lemons under cool water. Juice the lemons until you have 1 cup of juice. Keep the lemon halves. Place the sugar in a 2 or 3-quart saucepan. Strain the lemon juice into the same pot. Heat the mixture on medium high heat until the sugar dissolves.

Step 3

Remove the pan from the heat and add 5 or 6 of the juiced lemon halves into the lemon syrup. Bring the mixture to a boil and boil for about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and cover with a lid. Let the lemons steep for 1 hour.

Step 4

Strain the lemon syrup into a bowl through fine mesh strainer. Let the lemons drain and squeeze them to get as much juice out of them as possible. Let the syrup cool to room temperature, then pour it into a jar. Refrigerate the lemon syrup for up to 3-4 weeks.

Step 5

Use the lemon syrup to make lemonade, lemon soda, or brush it on cake layers to help keep them moist.