Homemade Blueberry Syrup

Oh, blueberry syrup, where have you been all my life? Way back when I bought all those blueberries, I made some syrup. This stuff is so good! You can put it on anything! I chose to pour it on top of my banana blueberry pancakes. Oh my word, so good! 

Homemade Blueberry Syrup
from Simple Bites


Ingredients:
5 cups blueberries, washed
3 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 lemon

Directions:

Using a sharp paring knife, peel three or four strips of lemon peel from the lemon. Try not leave too much of the white part on it. Then juice the lemon, and set both zest and juice aside. 

Place blueberries and 1 cup of the water in a medium pot. Don’t worry about stems or leaves; they will be strained out later. Using a potato masher, crush the berries. Over medium-high heat, bring the berries and water to a boil, then lower the temperature to medium-low. Simmer berries for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. They will darken considerably. 

Remove pot from heat and scoop berries into a fine sieve or mesh strainer set over a heat-proof bowl or measuring cup. Using the back of a smaller ladle, press on the berry solids to extract as much juice as possible. Discard solids. 

Wash out your pot, then add the remaining 2 cups of water, lemon peel, and the sugar. Bring to a boil and boil rapidly for about 15 minutes until the mixture thickens. Add blueberry juice and 2 tablespoons lemon juice and stir to combine. Boil another minute or two. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Remove lemon zest. 

Using a funnel, pour syrup into clean jars. Top with lid and store in the refrigerator for up to six months. 

Makes about 3-4 cups.