Fragrant blanks - mint syrup
In late spring, it is time to harvest the first mint harvest. To make supplies, cut spicy herbs can be dried. Some housewives even make jam out of it, or you can make original mint syrup. It is very good to add to tea or make cocktails, as well as use in baking.
If for some reason it was not possible to collect young shoots in May, you need to wait a little until the second harvest wave at the end of summer.
What is needed for the syrup?
The main ingredient of the syrup is mint, namely the leaves along with the shoots. All varieties are suitable for harvesting, but mint syrup with round leaves is more aromatic.
In addition, for 100 g of fragrant twigs, you must take:
- 500 g sugar;
- 250 ml of water.
Preparing mint
Rinse the shoots and put them on a towel so that the glass will have excess water and they will dry out. Then chop the greens as finely as possible with a knife.
Measure half a serving (250 g) from the prepared sugar and add chopped mint to it. Leave to infuse overnight.
If you need to cook quickly, you should soak the mint under sugar for at least 4 hours.
How to make syrup?
The next day (or after 4 hours) prepare the syrup, and for a start it will be a regular sugar syrup. To do this, pour water into a saucepan and pour in the remaining sugar (250 g). Bring to a boil over high heat, screw on the burner and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
To check the readiness, you need to drop a little syrup on a plate: the drop should hold, not spreading.
Put chopped mint in the finished sugar syrup and leave to cool completely. When the workpiece has cooled, thoroughly grind everything in a blender until smooth.
Put a sieve or colander in a separate bowl and cover it with gauze folded in 4 layers. Strain the mint gruel. The output should be about 300 g of a viscous, fragrant amber syrup.
Pour the prepared mint syrup into a glass bottle or jar that closes tightly and store in the refrigerator.
Why is syrup useful?
Peppermint syrup can be used for more than just cooking. Due to the beneficial properties of mint, it is recommended to use it for colds to speed up recovery. Tea with syrup increases appetite and has a positive effect on the digestive system, activating its work. It also relieves stomach cramps and vomiting well. The calming effect of mint on the nervous system need not even be discussed, since it has been known for a long time.