Peach Syrup - Homemade & Homecanned

Peach Syrup - Homemade & Homecanned

What is it about French Vanilla Ice Cream and Peaches - another golden flavor combination!  The best of course is fresh peaches cut up on top of some delicious ice cream but in the winter, my Peach Syrup tastes like fresh peaches picked off the tree.

Similar to my Blueberry Syrup and Strawberry Syrup recipes - This Peach Syrup can be used in many other ways: ice cream, pancakes, waffles, flavor iced tea, in batter (eg peach muffins), in frosting, in homemade Popsicles, in yogurt or kefir.......etc

NOTE: This syrup is on the thin or runny side but for certain uses - such as an ice cream topper, it is easy to thicken with a little corn starch (see "thickening recipe" at the end of this post).

Juice

14 cups peaches (washed, pitted and quartered)

2 cups water (filtered)

juice from 1 lemon

Prepare the peaches as described above. Place the peaches, lemon juice and water in a large stock pot and bring to boil. Simmer for 1 hour (in the 2 pictures above you can see the difference in the color - before and after boiling - and that the peach skins have been cooked into the syrup). Now you will need to strain the juice to separate the peach pulp from the liquid. Allow the juice to drain out of the colander for an hour - you might want to press down on the pulp with a wooden spoon to make sure that all of the liquid has been drained.  Unlike my Strawberry & Blueberry Syrups - the peach pulp still has good flavor after boiling, so what I did is puree the pulp and then freeze to use in the winter in smoothies or yogurt.

Syrup

7 cups peach juice

2 1/2 cups sugar

juice from 1 lemon

Pour the Peach juice into a large stock pot. Add in 2 1/2 cups of sugar and the juice from the second lemon - stir until dissolved.

Gather your canning jars, lids and rings (you will need 6 or 7 half pints):

Canning Basics - Jar Sizes. Also, gather all other canning supplies:

Other Canning Supplies. Start the water boiling for Jar sterilization: Sterilizing Jars & Lids.

Now bring the peach juice mixture to boil (stirring most of the time) and then turn down the heat and simmer for 1/2 hour (While boiling - if any frothy substance appears on the top then remove it and discard the froth).

By now your jars should be sterilized and ready to be filled. Take the jars out of the boiling water (I use my jar remover and make sure that the water is drained out of each jar). Pour the hot Peach Syrup into each sterilized jar and fill each jar up to the jar "threads" (about 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch of head space).

Wipe the rim of each jar with a damp cloth making sure that any syrup residue is gone (any residue left on the rim can stop the jar from sealing). Place a sterilized lid on each jar and then tighten a ring on each jar.

Place all jars in a "Water Bath Canner" and process (boil) the jars for 10 minutes (make sure that the water level in the Canner is 1 inch above the tallest jar)

Remove the jars and place them on the counter or table to cool (I always place them on a cloth because there have been a few times when a jar cracked and then the jam oozed out making a mess - the cloth will help if that happens). You will hear the wonderful popping sound of your jars sealing.

Allow the jars to cool for 24 hours and then store in your pantry or in your fruit cellar until the winter and then ENJOY a little bit of summer.

Thickening Recipe:

1 cup Peach syrup (cold or room temperature)

1 tablespoon corn starch

With a whisk - stir the corn starch & Peach syrup until combined (with no clumps). Pour into a medium size saucepan and bring to a boil - stirring all the time. You will know when it is thick enough by the color - The key to thickening with corn starch: the syrup mixture will be cloudy when you start , then after it has boiled - it will be transparent (orange but still transparent).

Linked to:

Pamela's Heavenly Treats

52 Mantels

Live Laugh Rowe

Five Little Chefs