Homemade Dandelion Syrup
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups dandelion flowers (about 125 flowers)
- 3 cups water
- 2 cups cane sugar (or sweetener of choice)
- 1/4 cup raw honey (optional)
- 1/2 lemon, juiced (optional, but rounds out the flavour)
Instructions
- After harvesting the flowers, lay them out on a towel for about an hour, to allow any bugs to crawl away. You can also wash the flowers, but you risk washing away some of the pollen, which is actually good for you.
- Next, cut off the green base of the flower and discard. You can squeeze and roll them between your fingers, or cut them with a knife, or just snip them off with scissors. Make sure to get the whole base off since it is bitter. A little bit of green flecks is ok, as long as the main base is removed.
- Add petals and water to a pot. Bring to a boil, and let it boil for 30 seconds to a minute.
- Remove from heat, allow to cool slightly, then place the pot in a cool place to let it steep overnight. A cool counter or the fridge is ideal.
- The next morning, strain the liquid into a fine mesh strainer or a cheesecloth over a bowl. Extract as much of the liquid as you can by squeezing or pressing with the back of a spoon.
- Add the strained liquid to a pot, and add the sugar, honey, and lemon, if using. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour, or until the liquid has reduced by half.
- Check for consistency by dipping a spoon in the syrup, letting it cool for a bit, and checking the thickness. If it's to your liking, remove the syrup from the heat.
- Pour into glass jars, let the syrup cool down to room temperature, and then you can store it in the fridge. It will keep in the fridge for a few months.