Prickly Pear Syrup

Course: Drinks, Flavored Syrup

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 50

Servings: ounces

Calories: 54kcal

Author: Emily

This Prickly Pear Syrup recipe provides a step-by-step guide to making a delicious syrup that's perfect for desserts and cocktails. Though it may seem intimidating, it's a must-try if you have access to the fruit!

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Equipment

tongs
tough rubber gloves (optional but highly recommended)
large mixing bowl
spoon (for scooping fruit)
medium saucepot
fine-mesh strainer
sealable bottle or jar

Ingredients

4 cups prickly pear fruit (596 grams)
1½ cups sugar (250 grams)
2 cups water (470 grams)
2 tablespoons lemon juice, optional (30 grams)

Instructions

After picking the fresh prickly pear fruit, rinse well to remove any dirt or debris.
Place in a bowl and shake the fruit around so that they knock off the thorns from each other. Rinse with water, drain then repeat as necessary.
With gloved hands, cut each fruit in half and scoop out the pulp using a small spoon. Discard the skin.
Smash the pulp using a masher to release the juices and break up the pulp.
Place the mashed fruit, sugar, and water into a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Allow the mixture to come to a boil, occasionally stirring. Turn down the heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer using the back of a spoon to gently smash through the syrup. Discard the seeds and pulp and pour the syrup into a sealable bottle or jar.

Notes

Look for brightly colored, ripe fruit: When choosing the fruit to use for your syrup, look for dark, brightly colored fruit with no holes or damage. You want to pick them at peak freshness before they start to wrinkle and get to the end of their life cycle.
Add lemon or lime juice or citric acid for balance: This step is optional but will balance out the sweetness of the syrup and add brightness to the flavor.
Gloves are highly recommended: Cactus thorns are not fun when you get them in your skin and some people have strong reactions to them. Use tongs for picking and thick rubber-coated gloves when handling the fruit.
You can use a spoon or squeeze out the pulp: To get all of that delicious pulp out of the fruit, use a regular teaspoon to scoop it all out. Alternatively, you can squeeze the pulp out using gloved hands.
Adjust the sweetness as desired: You can add more or less sugar depending on the sweetness level you are looking for. More sugar will also result in a thicker syrup.

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