Real maple syrup is a luxury around here. Since we avoid processed sugars, we pretty much use maple syrup or honey as sweetener. However, you will never see me pouring straight maple syrup on pancakes or waffles around here. Too sweet and too expensive. Today I am sharing with you a few of my favorite ways to stretch real maple syrup and keep it, well, real. When we do occasionally eat pancakes, waffles, or french toast – these syrup stretchers are the perfect complement.
To begin, I have seen about 25 recipe versions of pumpkin pancakes in the last two weeks. I am not complaining – the season is upon us . But I am making Maple Icing to go with them!
This recipe pairs beautifully with regular, pumpkin, apple, and blueberry pancake versions – you name it.
Maple Icing
This is more of a formula than a recipe, because it really is quite simple to cater to your family’s tastes.
1/2 c. real maple syrup (I use grade B)
1/2 c. plain yogurt (I use organic, whole milk yogurt)
Optional add-ins for the “plain” version above (choose which ones you like):
- a few drops of vanilla extract
- a few drops of almond extract
- a shake of cinnamon (a must to go with the pumpkin pancakes, or maybe pumpkin scones)
- a shake of nutmeg
Our second syrup stretching option is to mix warmed fruit with the syrup. I tend to think berries work best. Blueberry and raspberry are both delicious by themselves. Strawberry seems tastier to us when paired with another berry. Here is the formula for that one:
Simple Berry Syrup
2 c. frozen or fresh blueberries (or raspberries, or a combo with strawberries)
1/4 c. real maple syrup (or more to taste)
Bring the berries to a boil in a small pot on the stove and simmer until they are all melted and squishy. Pretty much you just plop them in the pot and stir a few times while you cook whatever it is requiring the syrup in the first place. When they are fully squishy, pour them (carefully – watch for splashing) into your blender. Add the syrup and blend. I promise you that a complicated recipe is not necessary.
And don’t waste any leftovers if you happen to have them! Both the maple icing and the fruit syrups are delicious warmed up and poured over oatmeal the next morning. The fruit syrup is also perfect for mixing in to plain yogurt.
For more great tips join me over at Miz Helen’s Full Plate Thursday, Kitchen Tip Tuesday and Real Food Wednesday.
Enjoy!
Jenna, LOVE these tips! Maple icing using yogurt sounds like a great way to stretch syrup! I’ve added maple syrup to my kefir, why did I never think of making it a little sweeter for a creamy maple syrup?!
Thanks so much for sharing. 🙂
Sounds great!! We’re out of real maple syrup currently, but I’m tempted to get some now to try out the maple icing!!
Come back and let me know what you think after you try it!
We do the same thing Jenna! It’s so yummy, and now plain maple syrup on pancakes definitely tastes way to sweet to us. I’ve never tried adding vanilla or cinnamon though – sounds delicious! 🙂
The cinnamon is perfect for pumpkin things and oatmeal!
We have thinned our maple syrup with water, actually! (We don’t put leftovers back into the original container to prevent it becoming too diluted over time!)And then of course, we threaten our children about not wasting a single drop! Gets a little sticky (HA HA) when we have company and the kids start freaking out if a guest is wasting syrup! We call it “liquid gold” since the price went up so high a few years ago.
I love this post! Thanks so much for sharing it. By the way, I finally got the post on Roasted Chickpeas done if you’d like to stop by and check it out. 🙂
Jenna, that’s a great idea! Since, we have to avoid dairy (yes even yogurt) I mix my maple syrup half and half with Lundberg’s Brown Rice Syrup. It’s truly healthy and has vitamin B, thiamine, niacin, vitamin B6, and vitamin K. It does change the taste a bit to more of a maple/molasses-like flavoring, but my kids love it!!
I really don’t know anything about brown rice syrup – do you happen to know how it is made?
Hey Jenna,
Wikepedia explains it better than I can. “A sweetener derived by culturing cooked rice with enzymes (usually from dried barley sprouts) to break down the starches, then straining off the liquid and reducing it by cooking until the desired consistency is reached. The final product is 45% maltose, 3% glucose, and 52% maltotriose.” Another definition is that it is derived from steeping whole brown rice with a special enzyme preparation derived from “koji.” (a culture). It’s best to buy it organic. However, it still should be used in moderation just like all sugars. There is no true glycemic index information that I can find. If you research it, some say it’s a high glycemic index because of the 3% glucose conversion but the other 2 components are low glycemic indexes. I am going with a low glycemic index because of how I feel and how the children react when we eat it. No sugar rushes which happens even when they have maple, honey and Agave nectar (which I prefer but need to avoid due to the high fructose content). Okay, I hope this was helpful and not just adding a bunch of confusion. I am writing quickly this morning and distracted by 3 little ones. 🙂
Wow – quite the thorough answer!! Thank you!
[…] Pumpkin Pancakes with Maple Icing […]
This is a great post with great recipes!! Thank you so much for sharing your great recipe with Full Plate Thursday. Hope you will have a fabulous week and come back soon!
Miz Helen
Thanks, Miz Helen! I plan to be back this Thursday :).
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