Strawberry Simple Syrup

Step 1

Wash the berries and remove stems. Roughly chop or quarter the strawberries and place them into a medium saucepan. Cover with the water and bring to a boil.

Step 2

Reduce to a simmer and cook the berries for 20 minutes. Carefully skim and discard any foam that rises to the top.

Step 3

After 20 minutes, the berries will be much lighter in color and the water should be a dark pink or red. Place a fine mesh strainer over a second saucepan and pour the strawberry liquid through it.

Step 4

Resist the temptation to press down on the cooked berries to extract more juice. This will make the syrup cloudy. After straining, discard the cooked berries.

Step 5

Add the sugar to the liquid and bring it back to a boil. Stir constantly, until the sugar has dissolved completely.* Skim and discard any foam that rises to the top.

Step 6

Remove from the heat and let the syrup cool completely before transferring to glass jars for storage in the refrigerator. The syrup will last for several weeks.