Make luscious and luxurious cocktails at home. Quick and easy sugar syrup to make cocktails, at pace. Perfect for parties and BBQs.
"What is Gomme, or Gum or Simple Syrup anyway... isn't it all the same?"
So what you see in the bars and buy at the shop for mucho dinero (£££) is Gomme, French for gum syrup. This is simple or sugar syrup with the emulsifier called gum arabic added to it. It's nothing bad (its actually from tree sap), just an ingredient that stops the sugar from crystalizing once it starts cooling and adds a silky texture.
But simple syrup is so much simpler and quicker to make and can be made to match the texture of gomme syrup. As a quick way to flavour your drinks at pace, it's all you need.
"Why not just use sugar then?"
Primarily sugar syrup is easier to blend into cold drinks vs sugar granules which sink to the bottom and don't dissolve, leaving a drink unbalanced.
It also makes a cleaner cocktail and adds a silky texture to it. It's easier to measure, is the most common "ingredient" referenced in cocktail recipes and once made allows you to make a lot of cocktails quickly.
"What sugar should I use?"
Dealers choice really. White granular sugar is your staple, adding just sweetness so its diverse across many cocktails. Demerara or honey still provide that sweetness but add an additional richness and depth of flavour. Perfect for your cocktails with few ingredients and darker spirits (Rum Old Fashioned anyone?).
"What's the best ratio?"
So when we talk ratios its always in relation to water and sugar. There are many variations to choose from but the consistent you should follow is always do it in grams! Many recipes refer to cups but the weight is thus different depending on substance.
2:1 Ratio (Water to Sugar) = runny sweetwater. Not the best in my view.
1:1 Ratio = a viscous liquid with a velvet finish
1:2 Ratio = Luxurious thicker liquid closer to gomme syrup.
Recipe 1:1
Method
Pour 200g of boiling water and 200g of sugar (or honey) into a pan.
Simmer on a low heat (NEVER BOIL) for 5 minutes and stir until dissolved.
Take off the heat and leave until cold. Then pour into a sealable bottle or container ready for use.
Once made sugar syrup can last 3-4 weeks comfortably when stored in the fridge.
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