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Prickly pear syrup is a labor of love but very easy to make. You can use this recipe for prickly pear syrup for margaritas, lemonade, sweet tea, or cocktails.
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Key Ingredients
If you're going to make homemade prickly pear simple syrup you'll need a few ingredients
- Prickly Pear: You can find them in abundance in your local latin grocery store. Look for them under the name "tuna". They come in yellow, green and pink. The green will yield a clear simple syrup while the others will give you yellow or pink.
- Sugar: You cannot make a simple syrup without sugar. I know people are seeking to be healthier but alternative sugars will have a unpleasant aftertaste.
- Lemon: The lemon zest and juice will brighten the flavors of the simple syrup and make it amazing. Omit this step and you'll taste the difference.
- Kosher Salt: It's a uncommon ingredient in simple syrup with it enhances the flavors. By using kosher salt you use less salt. If you only have table salt use ⅛ teaspoon.
How do you make prickly pear syrup from scratch?
For 1 ¼ cup of syrup, you need: 10 prickly pears cut in half, ½ cup raw cane sugar, zest and juice of 1 lemon, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Use a spoon to scoop out the flesh of the prickly pears, place in a medium saucepot. Add the sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt. Cover pears with water, turn on the heat to medium-high, bring to a boil, cook for 10 minutes. Over a bowl, press flesh of prickly pears, through a fine-mesh strainer, discard seeds. Add strained juice back to the saucepot.
- Bring to a boil, and cook until syrup thickens slightly about 25 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a container.
Prickly Pear Cooking Tips:
Prickly pears stain like beets, just f.y.i. Make sure you have a fine-mesh strainer to keep the seeds out. I find that straining a few times is best for a gorgeous syrup. I like to strain it after boiling to remove the seeds, give it a spin in the food blender (the Chef in me), and strain it one last time before finishing the syrup.
FAQ
These are the most asked questions about prickly pears.
Prickly pears, also known as tuna fruit, cactus apple, or Indian figs, come in various colors, green, yellow, and pink. Only the yellow and pink pears have a unique flesh color. The inside of the green pears is white.
This recipe for prickly pear syrup tastes like a blend of strawberries and watermelon. Prickly pears are naturally sweet, depending on ripeness with a slight bite of tartness.
Can you make ahead?
Fridge: Prickly Pear Syrup: Syrup can be made one day in advance.
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Substitution Options:
Common One to One Substitutions:
Granulated sugar = Raw Cane Sugar
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What to serve with Prickly Pear Syrup?
Meal Ideas:
If you’re looking for a fun and easy project, give prickly pear syrup a try. It goes well with margaritas, cocktails, pancakes and lemonade. It takes a little time but the end result is worth it! I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do. And don’t forget to leave me a review if you make it; I love hearing from readers.
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Recipe:
📖 Recipe
Prickly Pear Syrup
Ingredients
- 10 prickly pears cut in half
- ½ cup raw cane sugar
- zest and juice of 1 lemon
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Use a spoon to scoop out the flesh of the prickly pears, place in a medium saucepot. Add the sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt. Cover pears with water, turn on the heat to medium-high, bring to a boil, cook for 10 minutes. Over a bowl, press flesh of prickly pears, through a fine-mesh strainer, discard seeds. Add strained juice back to the saucepot.
- Bring to a boil, and cook until syrup thickens slightly about 25 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a container.
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