Prickly Pear Syrup
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.
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.
What color are 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.
What does prickly pear syrup taste like?
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.
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.
Can you make ahead?
Fridge: Prickly Pear Syrup: Syrup can be made one day in advance.
latest Recipe Video:
Substitution Options:
Common One to One Substitutions:
Granulated sugar = Raw Cane Sugar
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.
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.