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Fruits in syrup are highly appreciated by chefs and pastry chefs due to their long shelf life at room temperature and because the fruit can be used out of season, which allows a hotel or restaurant to design a wide and varied menu for all tastes.
Many people wonder what are the ingredients of the fruit in syrup and why it is preserved for long periods of time, but the truth is that the ingredients that are used are natural and the process has been going on for centuries to be able to enjoy the fruit at any time of the year. Let’s see more details about fruits in syrup.
Ingredients of the fruit in syrup
The syrup is the base of many desserts and consists of dissolving sugar in water and cooking it over a fire. The result is a mixture that allows food to be preserved, usually fruit in syrup, to be used in the preparation of desserts or to be consumed whenever desired.
The process to make syrup is very simple. Refined white sugar is needed, either in lump or powder, and all we have to do is cook the sugar in the water. It is important to heat over low heat so that the sugar dissolves progressively. Once the sugar is melted, we raise the temperature until the optimum point of the syrup is achieved. Each professional has their personal cooking point of the fruit in syrup for their creations.
Another aspect to take into account is the proportion of water and sugar used. Depending on the type of syrup and the use that the professional is going to give it, they will choose one proportion or another. Normally, the base that is usually used is twice as much sugar as water, although everything will depend on the syrup that is needed for the fruits.
The cooking time will also vary depending on the use that is going to be given to the syrup. If what you want is to soak a sponge cake, for example, you don’t need more than two minutes after boiling the mixture. On the other hand, if we want a denser syrup to introduce fruit and to keep it longer, it will be necessary to leave the mixture for about 10 minutes after it comes to the boil.
What types of syrup can be prepared?
As we have seen, the proportion of water and sugar and the cooking point are what determine the density of the syrup and the different uses it can be given. A syrup that is often used a lot in confectionery to make tarts, pies or sponge cakes is the one that has a proportion of water and sugar at 50% and when the temperature reaches 100º, that is, once it boils, we turn off the fire and let the syrup cool.
At a temperature of 105ºC the syrup begins to thicken, at 110ºC the basic syrup is obtained, used in many recipes, glazes and candied fruits. At higher temperatures the syrup changes color and can be used to make jams, candies, Italian meringue and other desserts. With temperatures of 160 and 170ºC we obtain caramel or “cabello de ángel” (pumpkin forming threads) and it is the limit to prevent the syrup from burning.
Why professionals buy canned fruit in syrup
Although any chef and pastry chef knows how to prepare syrup and use it with the fruits they usually use in their creations, the truth is that professionals prefer to buy packaged fruit in syrup and trust brands with a long history in the market and a quality beyond doubt.
Once you have tried the product and it is perfectly suited to your needs, you do not have to waste time preparing the fruit in syrup when you know that you can purchase the product with all its qualities as if you had made it yourself.
For this reason, most professionals trust the ingredients of the fruit in syrup from our catalog. Not only because the fruit is of the highest quality (most of them from our own production), but also because our fruits in syrup are made with the best ingredients and always with the aim of facilitating the work of chefs and pastry chefs.
Cherries in syrup are perhaps the most used when decorating tarts, tartlets, cakes, mousses, fruit salads, yogurts, etc. Although they are also used in garnishes for roast meat and fish or to prepare sauces and jams. Their intense color, flavor and texture make them the favorite of professionals thanks to their versatility and their pairing with other ingredients.
In addition to cherries in syrup, professionals also choose other products from our catalog such as apples or oranges in syrup, blackberries, strawberries and kiwis. These fruits should always be ready in the kitchen of a good hotel, restaurant or catering company to use them whenever needed, both to prepare a dish or a dessert of the day, and to offer customers at breakfast, buffet or snacks.
At Lazaya we use the best ingredients in fruit in syrup and we have a wide variety of products for professionals. Contact us and tell us what you need.
