Cascara Simple Syrup
#ThingsThatGoWithCoffee
Cascara is quickly becoming one of my favorite coffee related ingredients. For those of you that are unfamiliar with cascara, it is dried skins of the coffee cherry (the coffee we know and love is actually the seed of the coffee cherry). In Spanish, cascara means the peel or skin of a fruit.
Traditionally a by-product of coffee processing, Cascara is now starting to find it's way into the specialty coffee mainstream. It is generally prepared as a tea—often with a refreshing natural sweetness, and boasting tasting notes of rosehips and tamarind. However, given the breadth of coffee varietals, terroirs and processing methods in existence, I'd imagine cascara's flavor potential is near limitless.
What better way to celebrate this unique flavors of a cascara than transform it into a simple syrup which can be used as an ingredient in cocktails! The Cascara Fragaria Sour, created by Kyle Jones of Young's Fine Wine, is a great example of how to incorporate this kind of syrup into a cocktail.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup White Sugar
- 1 cup Filtered Water
- 1/2 cup or 20 g Cascara / Dried Coffee Cherries
Method:
- Put all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Remove saucepan from heat and allow syrup to cool a little bit.
- Filter syrup through a strainer to remove coffee cherries.
- Store in a jar or other appropriate container and keep refrigerated.
- Mix into your favorite cocktail at your leisure .
- Enjoy!
If you are interested in finding other ways to include cascara in your cocktails, be sure to check out this recipe for the High Tea, another cocktail created by Kyle Jones, of Young's Fine Wine to feature Cascara Iced Tea.