Mapleine Syrup Recipe
This mapleine syrup recipe uses three pantry staples and takes 5 minutes on the stove. A 2:1 sugar-to-water ratio gives you a syrup thick enough for coffee drinks, dirty sodas, and pancakes. The key: add the Mapleine extract off the heat so the volatile maple compounds don't cook off.
Servings 16 tablespoons
Calories 60kcal
Cost $3
Equipment
- 1 Small saucepan
- 1 Glass jar or squeeze bottle for storing syrup
- 1 Whisk or wooden spoon
Ingredients
For the Mapleine Syrup
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar packed; the 1:1 white-to-brown mix gives depth without being too molasses-forward
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 tsp Mapleine extract Crescent brand; start with 1/4 tsp if you prefer subtle maple -- add off the heat only
- 1 tbsp corn syrup optional but recommended -- prevents crystallization and adds gloss
Instructions
Make the Syrup
- Add white sugar, brown sugar, and water to a small saucepan. Stir to combine. The 2:1 sugar-to-water ratio (2 cups sugar total to 1 cup water) gives you a syrup thick enough to coat a spoon and stay in suspension in cold drinks without settling to the bottom.
- Place over medium heat and stir constantly. You are waiting for all sugar crystals to dissolve completely -- the moment the liquid is clear with no visible crystals, remove the pan from the heat. Do not boil. Boiling is not necessary and can cause crystallization.
- This step is critical. Remove the pan from the stove before adding the Mapleine. High heat drives off the volatile maple compounds that give the extract its character. Add 1/2 teaspoon and stir immediately. Start at 1/4 teaspoon if you prefer a subtler maple flavor -- taste and add more if needed.
- Stir in 1 tablespoon of corn syrup if using. This interrupts crystal formation and gives the finished syrup a glossier texture that holds up better after a week in the fridge. Honey is a workable substitute but produces a thinner syrup with a honey-forward flavor.
Cool and Store
- Let the syrup cool on the counter for at least 20 minutes before bottling. Pouring hot syrup into a glass jar can crack it. Do not add it to cold drinks while still warm -- temperature shock causes separation.
- Transfer to a clean glass jar or squeeze bottle. Store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks. If the syrup crystallizes in a very cold fridge, warm the sealed jar in a saucepan of warm water for 2 to 3 minutes -- it dissolves back completely. Use 1 to 2 tablespoons per serving in coffee, dirty sodas, or over pancakes.
Notes
Add Mapleine only after removing the pan from heat. High heat cooks off the volatile maple compounds and flattens the flavor.
Start with 1/4 tsp Mapleine per batch if you want subtle maple. The standard 1/2 tsp gives a forward maple flavor good for coffee drinks and dirty sodas.
Corn syrup prevents crystallization -- worth adding if you want the syrup to last a full 3 weeks without graining up.
