In summer when it is hot, you need to make sure you drink enough. The temptation is very strong to use syrup to brighten up the water, which is sometimes a little boring. Only each sip is a little sugar ingested… Here are some tips for parents, so that children reduce their amount of sugar.

“Light” syrups

The syrups are stuffed with sweeteners, the brain gets a false message, and you stay addicted to the sweet flavor. You swallow as a bonus sometimes synthetic sweeteners. The best is to take responsibility for your consumption and reason with it.

Two solutions:

• Reduce the amount of sugar and make your own syrups.
• “Divert the attention” by offering fun popsicles.

Mint, grenadine, strawberry, lemon syrups …

The tastes are endless, it is easy to prepare syrups of mint, grenadine, strawberry, lemon, anise. It is possible to reproduce what the food industry offers, but in a sweet version 2 to 3 times a month.

Indeed, in a syrup, the recipe is often about 1.5kg of sugar for 1l of water. You have to boil and let cool. The most used syrup for pastries and cocktails is a 30 degree “Baumé” syrup.

It was the chemist Antoine Baumé (18th century) who proposed to classify syrups according to their density, that is to say their sugar concentration. The more concentrated the syrup, the more viscous and dense it is, and the higher its “Baumé degree” will be.

The trick is to use jam sugar. It contains fruit pectin in addition to sugar. This will allow to give thickness and the same viscosity obtained as if only added sugar. You will fool the most rebellious and sugar fans. The main advantage is that you will be able to divide the amount of sugar by 3.

Recipe:

• 1 volume of jam sugar.
• 3 volumes of water.
• Bring to the boil for about 1 minute.
• When it’s hot, add the ingredients you want and cover to let steep.

Pomegranates for a “real” grenadine, or iced mint or spearmint leaves. Lemon zest, or oranges for real orangeades or lemonades. You can also add spices if you want, ginger, cinnamon, star anise etc….

Let cool completely, filter and then put in bottles.

Storage in bottles

Your syrups do not move, you can keep them for several months without worries. However, make small quantities, for example ¼ liter, so you vary the flavors, you can keep cool to have syrups already cold.

You can also use this technique for “classic” baking. Baba, soaking syrup for cakes or for sponge cake. It is always this syrup at 30 degrees Baumé. Keep this tip: water, sugar, pectin.

Popsicles with syrups

You can use the same base. Water ice is like an ice cube.

The sorbets and ice creams are plentiful, that is to say they must contain air, trapped in the form of mini bubbles, which gives a silky side. This is often achieved by adding egg whites.

Popsicles are easier to obtain: water, syrup and in the freezer.
Pectins play a very interesting role, as they are molecules in the form of large chains, they will prevent the water from forming large water crystals, otherwise it is often inedible.

Imagine a block of ice the size of your Eskimo or your tube. Rather than using natural fruit pectins, some manufacturers use synthetic gums such as methylcellulose, glycerol – a known anti-icing agent -, or other gums and even preservatives to stabilize the colors… These are still ultra- products. processed, even for popsicles.

How to make eskimos?

To make eskimos, you are going to use real pieces of fruit. The playful and attractive side will distract the brain from this apparent “lack” of sugar.

• Homemade pomegranate syrup, a little water, crush 2-3 raspberries. It gives color, it’s very pleasant.
• Homemade lemon syrup, strawberries or blueberries.
• Also use tea, this will make excellent iced tea eskimos.

– Darjeeling tea, piece of peaches. Or verbena peach too.
– Mint tea, lime and pieces of cucumber, you will see the freshness of this eskimo.

You can make ice cubes then mix them with a food processor, for example, to make a granita.

• Make a tea and infuse it with a sprig of thyme or rosemary.
• Sweeten with a little honey.
• Add a few diced apricots.
• Set in the freezer.
• Mix to make a granita.

Here is a starter that changes from very sweet melon and watermelon granita.