Foundation, or Simple Syrup
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Cut the gelatin into small pieces and soak in cold water for at least 30 minutes.
In a large copper pan, combine the spring water and soaked gelatin.
Make the syrup
Heat the mixture gently until the gelatin dissolves, avoiding boiling.
Add the sugar and stir occasionally until fully dissolved.
Skim off any impurities and strain the syrup through a muslin cloth.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Sugar
- Provides sweetness and forms the body of the syrup as it dissolves in the water.
- Sheet gelatine
- Adds a light body and helps the syrup stay clear and smooth in texture.
The step that matters
Heat the mixture gently until the gelatin dissolves. Boiling can break down gelatin's setting power and cloud the syrup, so gentle heat dissolves it without damaging its structure.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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