Belgian Pear Syrup

Ingredients

• 7 pears
• 3 apples
• a small handful dates, raisins, dried apricots or prunes
• 150 g sugar
• 1 glass water

Method

Quarter the pears and apples without peeling or coring — the skins, seeds, and cores contain pectin and tannins that will give the final syrup body and gentle astringency. Halve any large dried fruits. This is a fruit-reduction built on slow extraction, not speed.

Heat a heavy-bottomed pan over the lowest flame. Arrange the pears first (they soften faster than apples and will collapse into the liquid), scatter the apples and dried fruits on top, then add the water. The goal is a bare simmer — you want steam rising gently, not a rolling boil. A rolling boil at this stage will trap the fruit in a firm state and prevent proper breakdown. Cover loosely and leave for 3 hours, stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking. The fruit will disintegrate into a slurry. You'll know it's ready when a wooden spoon pushed through the mass meets almost no resistance.

Pass everything through a fine sieve or muslin cloth into a clean bowl, pressing gently on the solids to extract every drop of liquid — you're after clear juice, not cloudy pulp. Discard the spent fruit. Return the liquid to the rinsed pan and add 150 g caster sugar (reduce this to 120 g if you've used a lot of dried fruit, since their inherent sugars concentrate further). Stir to dissolve, then return to the lowest heat.

Now you're building syrup-making through gentle caramelisation. Simmer uncovered for 2 to 2.5 hours, stirring infrequently — perhaps every 20 minutes. Stirring too often introduces oxygen and causes premature darkening. The syrup will gradually darken from pale gold to amber; you'll notice the surface becoming glossier and the smell moving from bright fruit to deeper, honeyed notes. Test viscosity every 30 minutes after the 90-minute mark by dropping a spoonful onto a cold plate. At room temperature it should fall slowly from the spoon, not pour like juice but not set solid either.

While the second stage simmers, sterilise your jars and lids in boiling water, then dry them completely on a clean cloth. Once the syrup reaches your desired thickness, pour it into warm jars and seal immediately. The residual heat creates a partial seal; store in a cool, dark place.