Syrup
Syrup is a thick, sweet, flavored liqueous food usually used as a topping or recipe ingredient.
Syrups can have many consistencies, from runny to thick, and many densities and colors, from clear to opaque. The thickness of the syrup is usually related to the sugar (or other ingredients) to water ratio.
Syrups are typically quite sweet, and have a high concentration of sweetener. Sweet syrups are usually made with a form of sweetener, such as corn syrup, sugar, artificial sweetener, molasses, sap, honey, alternative sweeteners (such as agave nectar or monkfruit), or any combination of these. Some syrups do not have added sugar or sweeteners at all and are simply sweet as a result of reduction (these are typically fruit syrups).
Savory syrups are also made, though these are less common.
Syrups are not to be confused with toppings.
Some flavorsed of syrups are made with a recipe, have a number of ingredients, and may be considered a "processed food". Chocolate syrup, strawberry syrup, vanilla syrup, and banana syrup are often artificial syrups with no actual chocolate, fruit, or vanilla, and are often used to make flavored milks.
Other types of syrup, such as maple syrup, are considered more "natural", with minimal or no processing. Real maple syrup is bottled directly from a tree tap. Artificial maple-flavored syrup generally has no maple sap; this is often referred to as maple syrup in the United States, but it is not. This type of syrup is usually marketed as pancake syrup.
Some syrups fall in between; many chocolate and fruit syrups exist that are made with real chocolate or fruit that has been cooked and processed.
Syrups are often used to sweeten and flavor hot and cold beverages. They are poured on or baked into desserts or fruits. At breakfast-time, syrup use in North America is very common, both on foods and in drinks like chocolate milk.
Syrups can also be boiled down, caramelized and hardened (set) into hard candy.
Corn syrup is a common ingredient in processed foods.
Uses of syrups
[change | change source]Syrups are used in many different types of drinks, non-alcoholic and alcoholic. Sodas and many soft drinks are made with concentrated syrups.
Coffee shops usually have a wide variety of flavored syrups (as well as the typical chocolate and vanilla) to add to coffee drinks; common coffee shop syrups include hazelnut and caramel.
Some cafés offer a choice of syrups that can be added to carbonated water, to add sweetness and flavor; these are usually fruit-flavored. In the 1950s and 1960s, soda shops in the United States often did the same thing.
Flavored syrups are often used to make cocktails. Syrups like cane syrup, grenadine syrup, triple sec, and lime syrup are very common ingredients in alcoholic beverages. Newer beverages might make use of syrups with berry or fruit flavors, such as passionfruit. More exotic syrups, such as hibiscus and physalis berry, are sometimes ingredients of trendy drinks. Herbs such as rosemary and thyme might be used to make flavored syrups. Espresso martinis usually use espresso syrup instead of freshly brewed espresso.
Syrups are also used in or on many desserts. Syrup is sometimes poured on cakes, pies, and pancakes. Ice cream sundaes are made by pouring syrups or toppings on ice cream. Milkshakes are usually made with ice cream, milk, and flavored syrup.
At breakfast time. syrups are often mixed into oatmeal, poured onto pancakes or waffles, or used as dips (for things like french toast sticks). Syrups are sometimes mixed into or used to coat sausages. In North America, maple syrup (either real or artificially flavored) is common.
Flavored syrups are also used over pulverized, shaved, crushed, or almost liquefied ice to make slushys, slushes, Slurpees, and similar frozen beverages, as well as water ices and shaved ices.
Syrups are also used in many forms of medicine, including modern medicine, traditional medicine and naturopathy. Some over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, such as cough, cold, and flu medicines, are most commonly sold in syrup form. Chinese traditional medicine uses pear syrup to make pear-syrup candy, also known as lígāotáng (梨膏糖) or líqīnggāo (梨清膏); they use this for cough and cold symptoms. Naturopathy makes heavy use of syrups and tinctures; echinacea syrup, for example, is often used as an expectorant.
