Sugar Syrup For Cake Decorating

Basic sugar syrup is just two ingredients but can make a huge difference when used as an ingredient in another recipe like drinks, cocktails, and cakes. Today, I will show you how I make my simple syrup, enrich it, flavor it and use it. Same recipe with different ratios for different uses and different outcomes. Here is everything you need to know.

Table of Content

• What is simple sugar syrup?
• Step by step instructions
• You may also like
• Printable Recipe
• Comments

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Have you had a recipe that calls for simple or sugar syrup? and then wondered what it is? Well, today I'm going to tell you everything you need to know. What is it? How to make it, how to favor it and how to make different variations based on where you going to use it.

Do you make drinks and cocktails?

As a flight attendant, for over 10 years, I've made way too many cocktails that now I barely make any. But back then our simple syrups came out of a bottle that was provided to use on every cocktail cart. I didn't have to make it but I got used to having a few different flavors and so at home, the regular wasn't good enough. We had to make a few flavors.

My favorite to have on hand usually would be rosemary (rosemary is a very refreshing flavor in a drink), orange (my favorite), lemon (another favorite). And then, of course, we had those wonderful flavors that you make when winter sets in. Like a little cinnamon, star anise, cloves, cardamon. These are OMG!! The best part about these spices is you just let them be. The longer they sit in there the more flavor they add.

One of my absolute favorite winter drinks used to be Cinnamon Cranberry Gingersnap - with homemade brown sugar cinnamon syrup, Cointreau, cranberry juice, lemon juice, ginger slices, and a cinnamon stick. We loved it so much I'd usually make a big bottle. Ah well, those were the days. These days we usually indulge in the non-alcoholic with the kids around.

Over the years, I learned that my syrup was not so simple any more. Why? Well, I became a cake decorator! Which means the syrup I made for cocktails only made my cakes sweeter.  We've found a way around that too. So, hang on and read along. But first for the basic.

What is simple sugar syrup?

Technically, it's equal parts of sugar and water, boiled together until all the sugar has melted. Cool it and it's ready to use in anything from douching over cake layers and drinks, and sometimes when requested in a recipe.

What are rich simple syrups?

This is often requested for cocktails and it's made with twice the amount of sugar and boiled to a thick consistency similar to honey.

What are flavored simple syrups?

You can flavor it with a flavor ingredient from simple vanilla,  lemon, orange, rosemary.  I'm sure you must have had a Rosemary Gin Fizz which basically is ¼ cup gin, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon rosemary syrup topped with ⅓ cup club soda. Garnished with a lemon wedge and rosemary sprig. Adding flavor simply means letting the sugar water infuse a little longer.

Sugar syrup for cake decorating

Ideally, we still have the same two main ingredients, sugar and water. But when it comes to cakes I use a different ratio. I use 1 part sugar to 4 parts of water. My method is simple, I add more water and boil it until I have about ¾ cup for that 1 cup left.

Which syrups should I use?

The purpose of sugar syrups in a cocktail is to add sweetness with as much less liquid as possible, so your drink will not be too diluted. On the other hand, the purpose of the sugar syrups in cakes is to add moisture, not sweetness. Cakes are already sweet which means I want to add moisture but as much less sweetness as I can.

Not everyone loves all flavors

As a rule of thumb, make sure you know what flavor the person you are making the cake for likes.

The one big lesson I learned very early in my cake business was - do not expect people to like the same flavor you like. Just because you think it's a great flavor does not mean everyone else does. For example, I once made my husbands favorite chocolate mud cake and used my cinnamon syrup which has a star anise flavor in it. He didn't touch the cake because he hates the flavor of star anise. Broke my heart! But it was a great lesson for me and one that I have used in my business.

Why do we need to touch our cakes with more sugar?

Cake decorating takes time which means we need more working time. You can't make a cake and decorate it immediately. There is a process involved. You need to cool it completely, level it, crumb coat the cake, first frosting, sometimes ganache, cover it with fondant, and then decorate it. The lapse of time from when you baked the cake to the time the cake is decorated can be as little as 3 days and in some cases more.  Often the cake ends up going in an out of the refrigerator which tends to dry the cake even more.  So, to ensure the cake is moist when cut we use a light syrup to moisten the cake.

In an attempt to make sure we add as much less sugar as possible I use a different ratio. Now, this ratio is not necessarily the same used by all cake decorators. Some use one recipe for all - so you get the same sugar syrups in all drinks, cocktails, and cakes. You can definitely do that too. Personally, I think my customers appreciate that I make the extra effort to ensure my cakes are just perfect and not over the top sugar loaded. Makes sense?

I never make one batch for all rather I customize it to the cake that I have on hand. Vanilla will have a slight vanilla flavor, my chai spice cake usually has a chai spice added, Vanilla cafe latte cake has cinnamon added, lemon or orange cakes usually have lemon or orange sugar syrups etc.

Step by step instructions

• Combine sugar and water in a saucepan.
• Heat on medium heat until all the sugar is dissolved.

For drinks

• Cook for one minute more after the sugar has dissolved.
• Take it off the heat.
• Set aside - use as required in the recipe.

For cocktails

• Add the lemon juice.
• Cook for 3 minutes more after the sugar has dissolved.
• The syrup will be similar to honey consistency, thick and syrupy.
• Take it off the heat.
• Set aside - use as required in the recipe.

For cakes

• Cook for three minutes more after the sugar has dissolved.
• It will still be water consistency.
• Take it off the heat.
• Set aside and let cool completely before using on a cake.

Tips for flavoring

Add flavoring to the sugar and water mixture before you place it on the heat. For a light flavor, remove it when you take it off the heat, for a deeper flavor remove it when cooled. For an intense flavor, leave it for a day or more. Remember, not all flavors do well with intensity.

• Rosemary - add a sprig of rosemary. (you can also add more than one)
• Orange - use a peel from one orange. Do not use the white part of the peel as it will make the simple syrup bitter.
• Lemon - use a peel from one lemon. Do not use the white part of the peel as it will make it bitter. You can also add a tablespoon of lemon juice.
• Cinnamon - add a cinnamon stick.
• Ginger - add 3 slices of ginger.
• Orange ginger - ginger also combines well with orange to make a ginger orange simple syrup flavor.
• Cardamom or cloves - you can use three cardamoms or three cloves or a combination of the two. I use when I make my chai spice cake.
• Rose  - you can use edible rose petals, but I usually add a rose extract to my simple syrup when it's done.
• Lavender - a few sprigs of edible lavender makes a heavenly lavender simple syrup.

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Printable Recipe

Description

Basic sugar syrup is just two ingredients but can make a huge difference when used as an ingredient in another recipe like drinks, cocktails, and cakes. Today, I will show you how I make my simple syrup, enrich it, flavor it and use it. Same recipe with different ratios for different uses and different outcomes. Here is everything you need to know.

SS for drinks

• ▢ 1 cup (200 g) White granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 cup (250 ml) Water
• ▢ Flavoring optional

SS for Cocktails

• ▢ 2 cups (400 g) White granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 cup (250 ml) Water
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) Lemon juice prevents crystallization when cooled
• ▢ Flavoring optional

SS for Cakes

• ▢ 1 cup (200 g) White granulated sugar
• ▢ 4 cups (1 Liter) Water
• ▢ Flavoring optional

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• Combine sugar and water in a saucepan.

• Heat on medium heat until all the sugar is dissolved.

SS for Drinks

• Cook for one minute more after the sugar has dissolved

• Take it off the heat.

• Set aside - use as required in the recipe

SS for Cocktails

• Add the lemon juice

• Cook for 3 minutes more after the sugar has dissolved

• The syrup will be similar to honey consistency thick and syrupy.

• Take it off the heat.

• Set aside - use as required in the recipe

SS for cakes

• Cook for three minutes more after the sugar has dissolved

• It will still be water consistency.

• Take it off the heat.

• Set aside and let cool completely before using on a cake.

Tips for flavoring sugar Syrups

Add flavoring to the sugar and water mixture before you place it on the heat. For a light flavor remove it when you take it off the heat. For a deeper flavor remove it when cooled. For an intense flavor leave it for a day or more. Remember not all flavors do well with intensity.

• Rosemary - add a sprig of rosemary. (you can add more than one too)
• Orange - Peel from one orange (do not use the white part of the peel as it will make the simple syrup bitter)
• Lemon - Peel from one lemon (do not use the white part of the peel as it will make the simple syrup bitter), You can add a tablespoon of lemon juice too.
• Cinnamon - add a cinnamon stick
• Ginger - add 3 slices of ginger Ginger also combines well with orange beautifully to make a ginger orange simple syrup flavors.
• Cardamom or Cloves - You can use three cardamoms or 3 cloves or a combination of the two. I use when I make my Chai Spice Cake.
• Rose - You can use edible rose petals but I usually add a rose extract to my simple syrup when it's done.
• Lavender - a few sprigs of edible lavender makes a heavenly lavender simple syrup.

Calories: 32- kcal Carbohydrates: 8- g Protein: 0- g Fat: 0- g Saturated Fat: 0- g Cholesterol: 0- mg Sodium: 0- mg Sugar: 8- g

The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you

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Sugar Syrup For Cake Decorating

Source: https://veenaazmanov.com/how-to-make-simple-syrup/

Posted by: carmichaelwassix.blogspot.com

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