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Strawberry Syrup

A no-guilt culinary shortcut and one of the nicest little keep-arounds that we know.
difficulty:
yield:

About 1⅓ cups

time:

About 15 minutes

introduction

Frozen strawberries lack the stunning shape of fresh seasonal strawberries and certainly the sexy texture of a perfect plucked berry. But their juices are another story: frozen strawberries, once thawed, absolutely ooze perfume and flavor, often more powerfully than the perfect looking specimens. So use them properly—coax forth their juices with sugar and a bit of heat, allow the natural pectin throw in some thickening, and then filter out the seeds and pulp. You’ll end up with a beautiful, bright syrup for crêpes, pancakes, and waffles . . . and our glorious Sweet Rice and Ricotta Pie. The syrup keeps a good while, too.

equipment mise en place

For this recipe, you will need a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan; a potato masher; a large fine-mesh stainless steel strainer; a liquid measuring cup or a small, deep bowl; and a small ladle or soupspoon.

    • 2
      (10-ounce) bags frozen organic strawberries (such as Cascadian Farms)
    • 2 to 2.5
      ounces (¼ to ⅓ cup) sugar
    • Pinch of fine sea salt
  1.  

    Turn the frozen strawberries, sugar, and salt into a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan. Cover, set the pan over medium-low heat, and bring the berries to a bare simmer, stirring occasionally; they will become soft, fragrant, and juicy as they thaw. Using a potato masher, mash the berries to a pulp directly in the saucepan. 

  2.  

    Set a large fine-mesh stainless strainer over a liquid measuring cup or small, deep bowl and pour the berries into the strainer. Use a small ladle or the back of a soupspoon to press the solids against the strainer, extracting as much liquid as possible. Discard the pulp that doesn’t go through the strainer. Cover the syrup and refrigerate until ready to use, or for up to 1 week.