How To Alter Your Simple Syrup Recipe To Make Rich Simple Syrup

Any home bartender knows simple syrup is great to keep on hand beside your cocktail shaker. While you can certainly buy a bottle of pre-made syrup, it's just as easy to whip up your own. To make simple syrup for yourself, combine equal parts sugar and water until the sugar melts. Typically, you do this over the stove, adding heat to expedite the syrup's formation. To simplify the process even further, forget melting the sugar on the stove and let time do the trick. So long as you have sugar and water, you can make simple syrup — no heat or fuss needed.

Of course, you don't always need simple syrup for homemade cocktails. Regular sugar and cubes will suffice, depending on the nature and temperature of your drink. However, simple syrup tends to be a cocktail mainstay, mainly because it allows you to play with flavor without threatening your drink's consistency. 

For example, you can easily elevate your simple syrup with various additions, from your favorite tea to spices. If you want to keep your syrup's flavor intact but enhanced, you can give it a boost in sweetness. Enter rich simple syrup. You need only one ingredient to make a richer, sweeter version of the classic syrup. Luckily, it's one you're already using. 

Remember how simple syrup calls for an equal ratio of sugar and water? Well, that ratio will surely form a lovely simple syrup, but if you want a syrup with even more sweetness and some added viscosity, it's time to toy with those fractions.

Yes, it's really that easy. For a more decadent simple syrup, all you have to do is double the amount of sugar you normally add to your water. By using twice the amount of sugar, you'll be able to easily sweeten your drinks and desserts, like sorbet. The syrup will remain syrup, albeit a sweeter one. 

This richer simple syrup is likewise thicker than regular simple syrup, so it's excellent in drinks that need a bit more oomph. A rich simple syrup can alter your cocktail ever-so-subtly, adding a new dimension of sweetness and texture. It's, therefore, a great option for transforming your drink in a pinch. Add a few more spoonfuls of sugar, and you'll wind up with a simple syrup that makes your favorite cocktail taste complex.