Really good pancake and waffle syrup.

[etpm]

I like good maple syrup but for pancakes I use a recipe similar to what my Mom made for us kids when we were growing up. We were poor and maple syrup was a real luxury for us but I liked the home made stuff better. When we serve guests pancakes we offer them maple syrup along with my stuff and they usually prefer my stuff.
OK, here's the recipe:
2 piloncillo cones
2 Tbs plus 1/3 cup water
2 Tsp vanilla
1/8 Tsp ground cloves
Put the piloncillo cones and the water in a small pot and cover. Cook over low heat checking every few minutes to see if the piloncillo has dissolved completely. When completely dissolved remove from heat and let cool a bit, then add the vanilla and the cloves. Stir and enjoy.

Piloncillo has a good molasses taste along with other good flavors that some folks find too strong. If you are one of these people a very good but milder version can be made with brown sugar. To use brown sugar use 1 1/2 cups brown sugar and 3/4 cup water.

Notes:
Piloncillo is a version of Mexican brown sugar. It usually comes in truncated cones that are a standard size.
I have found that cheap vanilla and imitation vanilla flavoring both to be not worth buying. Good vanilla is expensive but since not much is used per recipe the cost per use is insignificant. So I suggest just using the good stuff in the above recipe. It just tastes so much better.

 

[LD1]

I have had a version of homemade syrup with brownsugar many times. But anymore for me its real maple syrup (dark stuff) of nothing at all.

 

[3Ts]

Interesting reciepe. My dad made "maple syrup" with white sugar and maple flavoring. I much prefer the dark real maple syrup, I think it's refered to as grade B.

 

[ruffdog]

^^same here....give us the DARK maple syrup.

 

[jyoutz]

Since I grow an abundance of raspberries, we have been making raspberry sauce to use on pancakes. But I still also love maple syrup.

 

[Doughknob]

I have had a version of homemade syrup with brownsugar many times. But anymore for me its real maple syrup (dark stuff) of nothing at all.

Me too but i like the early light stuff. I tap my own trees.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

We had cane sugar boiled down in water. Only on special occasions though.

 

[Thomas]

Also grade B.. on vanilla ice cream,home made beans,ham steak just to name some.

 

[LD1]

Me too but i like the early light stuff. I tap my own trees.

We tap about 100-150 trees a year.

We nobody in my family likes the light. And when I say nobody likes it....it is still really good syrup and way better than any store bought corn syrup. We just much prefer the darker more robust stuff for flavor.

 

[ruffdog]

For a different taste ... Sorghum syrup that is almost like a molasses taste mixed with maple syrup.