Blueberry Basil Syrup
Fresh herbs are a great way to balance out the inherent sweetness of fruit syrups. This blueberry basil syrup is easy to make and stores in the fridge for up to a month, or in the freezer for up to at least 6 months. Use it in the Blueberry Basil Fizz, or even as a topping for vanilla ice cream!
Yield: about 3 cups
Ingredients
2 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)
3 cups water
2 cups sugar
1/2 tablespoon dried lemon peel, or 3-4 strips of lemon peel from 1 lemon (peel only, ideally no pith)
1 cup, lightly packed basil leaves
Fine mesh strainer, cheesecloth and colander
Instructions
Combine the berries, water, sugar, and lemon in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain at a simmer for 15 minutes. If any foam gathers on the top of the mixture while simmering, use a spoon to skim it off.
Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the basil leaves. Allow the mixture to steep for another 15 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Strain the mixture through the fine mesh strainer or through cheesecloth positioned in a colander. Transfer the strained mixture to an air-tight container for storage in the fridge (up to 1 month) or freezer (up to at least 6 months).
