Perfect Pancake Syrup - Homemade

Our family always made our own pancake syrup as I was growing up.  I suppose I took it for granted, but then I remember going to a Boy Scout pancake breakfast and being given store-bought Aunt Jemima and Lumber Jack syrup and being excited to find out how the rich folks lived, and then (after tasting it) wondering if I could have my mom bring some of our syrup from home.  I was even underwhelmed by Real Maple syrup when I had a chance to try it.  Maybe I loved it because it was simply the taste of home but I don't think so because others with whom I've shared our syrup loved it too and asked where they could get some (I even have a friend from a neighbor family of ours in Michigan who, when we finally reconnected years later on Facebook, asked first thing if we could tell her how to make "that yummy syrup").  Now you don't want to mess with perfection but I'm a relentless experimenter and I have tweaked my mom's syrup recipe over the years.  I think it's even better now.

Now a basic syrup recipe consists of two parts sugar and one part water with some maple extract added in, and this recipe is built on that foundation, but here's the magic...you caramelize the sugar first and add a touch of vanilla.  That combination makes a bouquet of flavors that makes the syrup irresistible!  Here's how to make it:

Ingredients:

• 8 cups Sugar (can use brown sugar if you prefer but pack it down)
• 4 cups Water
• 1 Tbsp Vanilla Flavoring
• 1 Tbsp Maple Flavoring

Put a pot on the stove-top with the heat turned to high.  After the pot is hot add the sugar and burrow down to the bottom of the sugar with a spoon.  Have the water ready .  Now this part is important, after you put the sugar in and burrow down to the bottom of the pot STAY NEARBY because you'll need to add the water as soon as you see the sugar caramelize or it will burn.  If you walk away to do something else you'll miss it.  Look at the upper left-hand picture in the collage above.  That is what it looks like when it caramelizes.  The sugar at the bottom of your burrowed hole will melt, turn brown, and you'll sometimes get a little puff of smoke.  At that point pour in the water and stir it up quickly.  This part is exciting because when the water hits the hot pan the whole mass hisses and splutters (best to have a long handled spoon while you do this).  Add the flavorings and stir vigorously until it boils.  As it begins to boil you may need to stir and blow on the rising foam if it looks like it's coming up too high because when it first boils it's very foamy.  After a few seconds of boiling the foam goes down.  Boil for a couple of minutes until any chunks have melted (some of the caramelized sugar solidifies when it comes in contact with the water).  The result is delicious and has the most remarkable color.

After it cools store this syrup in a plastic or glass container with a lid (I use a two quart plastic milk bottle but anything will work) in you pantry cupboard.  After a couple of months you may see crystals form in the bottom of your container.  When your done with the syrup you can either throw those away, add them back to your next batch to re-melt, or rinse and dry them for a homemade candy for the kids.

By the way, this is excellent on my gourmet blueberry walnut pancakes.