How to cook down frozen berries to make a syrup for pancakes?!
Thanks a bunch!
Answers: I have a bag of frozen mixed berries and want to cook them down, and sweeten them up to put over pancakes. I would also like to substitute honey in place of sugar, if possible, and don't have a clue as to where to begin. Your help would be greatly appreciated. I did try allrecipes.com, couldn't find anything on this.
Thanks a bunch!
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Just put the berries in a pot and add just a little honey. Heat slowly and simmer to desired consistency. I often use vanilla flavored corn syrup. You can strain through cheesecloth it if you do not wish to have the seeds.
Make a reduction. This can be done by using water, or a simple syrup (50/50 water to the honey you want), even try using something like a sweet white wine (try a cheap bottle of piesporter or sauvignion blanc).
Bring your liquid to a boil, reduce the heat to low, add your berries, mash your berries after they've been boiling for a good bit, steep until the liquid drips in a full syrup stream off a spoon (not just a drip drip, but a good unbroken stream), then you could strain the berries and use them in your pancakes or as a topping to french toast.
Be patient and it will turn out just perfect.
Berry Syrup
1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries
1 1/2 cups frozen unsweetened raspberries
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
--Combine all in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until heated through.
I know this isn't honey, but it's still great! The berries don't have to be 1/2 blueberries-1/2 raspberries, just make sure you use 3 cups or cut down all the ingredient amounts as needed.
1/3 cup sugar a couple squeezes of real lemon juice and some cinnamon...cook down to a reduction......you really don't even need the cinnamon.
Place frozen berries in a heavy-weight, thick bottom pan and add enough water to cover 1/3 of berries. Place on medium heat, uncovered, and stir often. When boil point is reached and berries are turning soft cook for about 10 minutes more.
If you wish to remove seeds you may strain now or use a food strainer.(most folks don't have one) Straining the seeds will reduce the volume considerably so make sure you have enough berries to make this effot worthwhile. If you want to keep the seeds reduce the heat on you pan and use a food blender to puree just a little to breakdown the skins etc.
Add the honey in small amounts to what sweetness you desire. At this point the sauce may be thinner than you are use to so raise the heat to a boil and in a seperate bowl mix completely 5 T. of cornstarch with 1/3 Cup water. Add half to your sauce and stir until it thickens. (repeat this if you want it thicker) After 2 or 3 minutes cooking remove from heat and pour into a cool bowl to lower temperature.(Can place bowl in an ice bath to chill faster since the pancakes may be getting cold.
all i do is heat frozen berries in microwave, no sweetener but syrup, whole family loves it!