Tuesday, October 4, 2016

DIY Apple Cinnamon Syrup {From Fruit Peels & Cores!}


"During the late summer when Mother dried apples for her winter cooking the children were always on hand to help with the paring and to speak for the long curls of peeling and the cores. Each child received his or her core, carefully gnawed off all of the good part, and then counted up the seeds. The lucky one who had the most seeds at the end of the day was entitled to a whole apple of his own. There were other things to do with the apple seeds and peelings, too..."
~ Carol Ryrie Brink, Magical Melons


The following recipe is an excerpt from our Ebook, 100+ DIY Projects to Make with Fruit Scraps. It is from the chapter "The Kitchen Table", which features a selection of products and foodstuffs to broaden your menus frugally. When making apple pies, sauces and cakes, you are left with a mound of peels and cores. With this recipe, you can now prepare something special for pennies for your family! Pour this fruit flavored syrup over pancakes, waffles, French toast, yogurt and ice-cream. Though it does have sugar, it is a healthier alternative to the high-fructose-corn-syrup versions they sell in the market. 


Ingredients:
  • apple peels and/ or cores
  • cinnamon (1/8 tsp. per cup of measured liquid)
  • sugar
  • water
  • fresh or bottled lemon juice or home-canned (1 tsp. per cup of measured liquid)
Place apple peels and cores in a sauce pan. Add enough water to cover the scraps and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 - 25 minutes (or until fruit pieces are mushy). Strain mixture (discard the fruit scraps) and measure out the remaining liquid (it is easier if you strain the syrup directly into a large glass heatproof measuring cup). Return strained liquid to sauce pan and add half the amount of sugar as there is liquid (for instance, if you have 4 cups of liquid, add 2 cups of sugar). Add the lemon juice (1 tsp. per cup of measured liquid) and cinnamon (1/8 tsp. per cup of measured liquid). Bring liquid back to a boil and continue to boil until syrup reaches desired consistency (or until a candy thermometer reaches approximately 218 degrees Fahrenheit--do not go over this temperature). Once the syrup has cooled, pour into a clean glass jar or bottle and store in the refrigerator.


Shelf Life: Approx. 2 - 3 months

Suggested Use: Use like you would any pancake syrup (pour over pancakes, waffles, French toast, yogurt and ice-cream).


If you enjoyed this recipe, we share 100+ more ideas on how to use up fruit scraps in our Ebook here! Happy kitchen-crafting, ladies!
All the fine print. This post may be shared with some or all of the following link-ups: The Art of Home-Making MondaysModest Mom Monday'sMonday's MusingsMake Your Home Sing MondayGood Morning Mondays,  The ScoopTitus 2 TuesdaysTuesdays with a TwistRaising HomemakersThe Homesteader HopWise Woman Link UpHomestead Blog Hop Wow Us Wednesdays,  Coffee and ConversationHomemaking ThursdaysHome Sweet HomeOur Simple HomesteadAwesome Life Friday Link UpFive Star Frou Frou Friday, and Shabbilicious Friday. Thank you lovely ladies for hosting these. This post may contain affiliate links (which are merchant links that help to support this site at no additional cost to you if you purchase an item through them).

48 comments:

  1. Yum! Your book caught my attention previously, but this recipe looks so yummy and easy, that I have to add your book to my Christmas list.

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  2. Oh yummy JES...thank you :-o) mari

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    1. You are welcome Mari! Hope all is well :)

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  3. This looks so yummy. I was wondering if it could be canned to be given as Christmas gifts. Cookie

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    1. Hi Cookie! All that information is in the Ebook but since you asked... :) You can preserve the syrup for the pantry. When you reach the desired consistency, ladle the hot fruit syrup into hot, sterilized jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Wipe the jar rims, adjust the canning lids and process for 5 minutes in a boiling water bath. If you were to do the larger quart jars, I would process for 10 minutes. Enjoy!

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  4. The syrup sounds really delicious. And thank you for offering a discount on your ebook. I'm looking forward to reading it through.

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    1. I hope you enjoy it! Happy kitchen crafting my friend :)

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  5. You my dear are a wonderful and talented frugal cook that makes everything look and sound delicious! I have yet to put up anything apple yet, as we are still working on the applesauce we canned a few years ago.
    Happy Fall xo Roxy

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    1. Thank you Roxy! Applesauce sounds wonderful too! :)

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  6. I just adore apple syrup, but strangely have never made it myself! Now that I see how easy it is, I will try this recipe next year when (hopefully) my apple trees produce some apples! Thank you.

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    1. I am right there with you! Hoping for a harvest!

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  7. You have such yummy frugal recipes! I must try this soon!
    Thanks for sharing!
    Hugs, Amy

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    1. It is a very satisfying recipe to make knowing that you are preparing something that would have otherwise been tossed :) Nice hearing from you Amy! Have a lovely week!

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    1. Hi Sandra, Nice to hear from you! And yes, the syrup is GOOD :)

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  9. Happy day, sweet friend! How are you, dear JES? Are you enjoying the loveliness of autumn? Fall has arrived in our neck of the woods and in fact it's supposed to SNOW tomorrow. I doubt it will stick to the ground, but my, it seems early this year.

    Anyway...your apple cinnamon syrup sounds delightful! I would love to try it on pancakes :)

    Hugs and blessings to you!

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    1. Wow, snow already!!! I have never lived in a climate with snow but it sounds wonderful! Thank you for stopping by and DO try this over pancakes. It is delicious :)

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  10. I purchased your book and look forwards to enjoying it fully over time ( so many recipes!)
    I have two baskets full of apples not good enough to store, and have already started my apple scrap vinegar with one lot of peels and cores. I think the next lot will be syrup; thank you so much Jes!
    Ps I would like to print the book out to get it spiral bound, as I find recipes so much easier to browse this way. Is that ok?

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    1. Hi Gill, thank you for the purchase! I hope you enjoy the book! Please do print it out and bind it, it does make it easier. I have done the same thing :) Thank you kindly for asking! Love, JES

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  11. I bet this tastes delicious. I just dried apples today and had plenty of cores and peelings that went to the pigs.

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    1. Well, at least they went somewhere beyond the garbage bin! :) Have a lovely week!

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  12. So, do you be careful not to get any brown spots? I've been afraid to make things with peelings.

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    1. Hi Laura, if you are referring to bruised spots or discoloration, those are just fine. The only thing I am concerned about when doing "peel" projects is mold and absolute rot. Everything is getting boiled up in the syrup. Hope this helps! :)

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    2. Yes, I was talking about bruises and discoloration. I am so afraid of food poisoning.

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    3. Hi Laura, Those are just fine to use! It is mold and rot that are scary. Please don't be afraid to use them -- I think I am going to share a bit about my life living with my Depression Era aunt for 2 years. The lessons I learned were unforgettable... As soon as time allows. I think that will ease your mind in many areas of food safety, my friend :)

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    4. I would love to read about that! I love your blog!

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    5. Thanks for the input Marcie! I hope to share about that soon! :)

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  13. Looks delicious! And I love that it's made from scraps.

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  14. This looks awesome, thanks so much for sharing. Feel free to share with us anytime on the blog hop that I co-host! We would love to have you!
    http://www.homesteadingwithheart.com/?cat=248

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  15. This looks really yummy and the pics that your took is awesome! I would like to invite you to come share this at our blog hop! https://www.floydfamilyhomestead.com/2016/10/05/the-homesteader-hop-23/

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  16. I so wish I would have read this before making apple butter this week. All those apple scraps thrown away!!!!! BUT - I know now. : ) Thanks so much. I can't wait to try this.

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    1. You will love it! 2 products for the price of one :)

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  17. Brilliant! I just made an apple galette-threw away all those cores and peels when I could have used them. It's still fall so there will be more apple treats. Thank you so much for this thrifty idea.

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  18. Awesome flavor for syrup! Thanks for sharing at Home Sweet Home!

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  19. How perfect!! I love apples and using leftovers, so this is definitely on my To-Do list. Have pinned and look forward to featuring on Shabbilicious Friday tomorrow.

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  20. I love this idea! Normally I make jelly out of the apple skins and core, but I am going to try this out since it uses far less sugar.

    Christina
    www.ourwoodhome.com

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    1. It is a fun recipe to make and so very fall :)

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  21. That sounds yummy! Absolutely perfect for a cool fall morning!

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  22. I have just made 6 bottles of syrup, starting with 13 cups of apple juice from cooking the last of my windfall/ imperfect apple cores and skins ( plus 4lb apple slices to freeze and a crisp for supper) it took a while to boil down, reaching 216' f eventually....now I am just hoping I don't have six bottles of jelly!😉 I certainly enjoyed tasting it along the way! Looking forwards to sharing it with family and friends. Thank you again Jes.

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    1. Hi Gill, So glad to hear you tried the recipe! The jellying point is 220 degrees so that shouldn't be a problem! :) At 216 you should have a nice thick syrup. Did you add the cinnamon? I think it really adds pizzaz to the syrup and we loved it over pancakes! :) I would love to know the constancy when all is said and done! Have a wonderful week!

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  23. Thank you for the recipe, Jes!! I've wanted to try this for awhile, and was just given a huge bag of apples. I thought I would go a bit further than just apple pie filling, and make this syrup. Once I boiled the peelings and cores, my chickens ate those, so no waste there either! The syrup is tasty, and I can't believe I made it!! Thanks again!!

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    1. Wonderful! I am so glad to hear you tried the recipe and that it worked out! And love that the chickens still got the leftovers! :) I appreciate you taking the time to share Rebecca. Have a lovely week!

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