How to Make Golden Syrup
Sugar, water, and a slice of lemon are all you need to make this buttery caramel flavored syrup!
Sugar, water, and a slice of lemon are all you need to make this buttery caramel flavored syrup!
- Carbohydrate 75.172785 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.005265 g
- Fiber 0.0824849966526032 g
- Protein 0.02106 g
- Saturated Fat 0.00068445 g
- Serving Size 1 1 oz (124g)
- Sodium 1.482525 mg
- Sugar 75.0903000033474 g
- Trans Fat 0.00282555 g
- Calories 291 calories
Step-by-step
- Pour 3 Tbsp water and 1/2 cup sugar into a saucepan.
- Bring to a simmer over medium-low to medium heat.
- Once the mixture turns a caramel color, slowly and carefully add 1 1/4 cups boiling water (I pre-heated the water my countertop hot water kettle).
- Add 2 1/2 cups sugar and bring to a low simmer.
- Add a slice of lemon to the mixture. The lemon will keep the mixture from crystalizing at is simmers.
- Turn the heat down to low and let the syrup simmer for about 45 minutes.
- When the syrup is ready, remove the candied lemon slice.
- Let the mixture cool down for a few minutes before pouring it into a sterilized glass jar (I poured boiling water into my jar and let it sit for a couple minutes). The syrup will be thin at this point but will thicken up as it sits in the jar.
- Store in a cool, dry place.
Standard baking projects frequently stall when specialty invert sugars are missing from the pantry, but a heavy-bottomed stainless steel saucepan and a reliable heat source solve the shortage. Creating this syrup relies on controlled sugar pyrolysis and acid inversion rather than complex machinery. A heavy pot distributes heat evenly across the burner, preventing localized scorching while the initial sugar and water mixture transforms into a dark caramel.
Controlling Crystallization and Viscosity
Acidity plays a vital role during the long simmer phase. Adding a single slice of lemon introduces citric acid, which inverts sucrose into glucose and fructose, preventing the sugar molecules from re-bonding into solid crystals. Maintain a low simmer for precisely 45 minutes to achieve the desired amber reduction. Pour the finished liquid into a heat-safe glass jar while it remains thin; the viscosity increases significantly as the temperature drops toward room temperature. If table sugar runs low, unrefined cane sugar functions as a direct one-to-one substitute, though it imparts a noticeably darker molasses flavor profile to the final product.
- Ensure the boiling water added to the hot caramel measures 1 1/4 cups to avoid violent splattering from thermal shock.
- Sterilize storage vessels with boiling water prior to filling to extend the room temperature shelf life.
- Discard the candied lemon slice immediately after the simmering stage concludes.
