Day 5

It's Claire here, and today I want to share with you a little recipe for something I make a lot during winter - a spiced syrup!

There's something about the combination of spices such as cinnamon and cloves that are just so comforting to me. The smell while making this syrup fills the house with such a calming aroma, and as it keeps really well in the fridge you can use it anytime you need a little something special.

The recipe below is how I like to make my spiced syrup, but the beauty of this recipe is you can adjust it to your own tastes. If you don't like one of the spices I list below, just leave it out. If I don't include something you love, throw it in!

You can find the recipe below, or click here to download a handy PDF to save and print!

Spiced Syrup

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 1 teaspoon whole allspice
• 1 teaspoon whole cloves
• 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 thumb sized piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
• Peel of 1 orange (just the peel, not the pith)
• 1/2 vanilla bean, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Method:

1. In a small saucepan, add all the ingredients except the brown sugar. Bring to a boil.
2. Add sugar and stir constantly until the sugar is fully dissolved.
3. Remove from the heat, cover, and allow to cool completely. The cooling time allows the spices to infuse the syrup. Leave them for at least 3 hours and taste it periodically until it reaches your desired flavor. If you want a really deep flavour, leave overnight in the fridge.
4. Strain the spices from the syrup using a fine mesh strainer.*
5. Bottle and store in the refrigerator.

*Top tip! Lay the orange peel and ginger slices on some parchment paper and pop into the oven on a really low heat for a few hours. This dries them out and makes candied peel and ginger, perfect for garnishing drink or adding to your porridge in the morning!

It's so simple! Here are some of the things I use my spiced simple syrup for:

1. In cocktails: Add a dash to the bottom of your glass of Prosecco, or as a substitute for the sugar cube in an old-fashioned. Or warm up a pan of apple juice, a handful of cranberries and add a slash of the syrup for a non-alcoholic warming punch.
2. In your coffee: This syrup is perfect for winterizing your morning cup of coffee!
3. On your porridge: In winter my go to breakfast is always porridge (or oatmeal!), and this syrup is perfect for sweetening it up a little!