Homemade Blueberry Syrup

It won't be long before everything will be coming up blue in fields and farms. Blueberries, those blue beauties that are a trademark summertime fruit, will be available for picking fresh or for puchasing at your local farm stands. There's so many different things you can do with blueberries--from pies to cobblers, tarts and muffins. For a healthy topping, stir together vanilla yogurt and a little honey (to taste); whip it to make it a creamy consistency. Serve this topping over fresh blueberries.

One great idea to get the most flavor from blueberries is to make a homemade syrup that you can use as a topping for pancakes or waffles. Not long ago, I received an e-mail from a reader asking for the blueberry syrup recipe that we featured on Suite101 a few years ago. Well, we culled the Food & Drink archive to find that exact same recipe and we printed it below. The recipe actually originates from the Yelton Manor Bread & Breakfast, located in South Haven, Michigan. The recipe does take some time to make, but the result, a thick and rich blueberry syrup, is worth the time and effort.

Blueberry Syrup
MAKES 3 1/2 CUPS

• 2 pints ripe blueberries
• 2 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1. Sort and stem the blueberries, removing any soft or bruised blueberries. Place the blueberries in a blender container. Cover; blend the blueberries until pureed. Place the blueberry puree in a bowl, cover with a towel, and let the mixture stand in the refrigerator for 1/2 hour. Stir the puree occasionally.
2. Pour the blueberry puree through a fine sieve or a cheesecloth-lined strainer. Allow the blueberry liquid to drain from the blueberry puree. Once the puree has completely drained, discard the pulp and reserve the juice.
3. Place the sugar and water in a 4-quart stockpot. Stir, cover, and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Uncover the pot, and insert a candy thermometer onto the side of the pot.
4. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and continue to cook the syrup until the temperature of the syrup reaches 230 degrees Fahrenheit, about 45 minutes.Add the reserved blueberry and lemon juice.
5. Cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes more. Do not allow the syrup to boil at this point. (If the syrup boils at this stage, the mixture will foam and boil over the sides of the pot, so watch the syrup carefully.)
6. Remove from the heat, and allow the syrup to cool completely. Transfer the cooled syrup to clean jars, and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.