Homemade Blackberry Syrup a superb extra touch

Just a little extra touch, this Blackberry Syrup, that made our pancakes extra super. Yes, best prepared with fresh blackberries, which the produce aisle of the grocery store certainly can provide. But this time of the year, we’ll simply wait on fresh berries until our blackberry vines have their winter’s nap and ideally bear abundant fruit as they did at the start of this summer. For now, frozen blackberries, thawed, make a good substitute.

Truthfully, I never imagined myself being able to stir up my own homemade Blackberry Syrup, but Southern Living helped me out with a terrific recipe in its “Food Gift of the Month” feature. It recommended bottling this up in a glass swing-top bottle as a hostess gift or party favor.

The blender-processed blackberry puree is run through a wire-mesh strainer so that the pulp and seeds are removed. (A few stray seeds actually escaped and made their way into mine, but the syrup didn’t suffer any for it—made it like a version of warmed blackberry preserves.) A delight on pancakes or waffles, although the magazine also says to serve it on biscuits, fruit salad, or cobbler.

Blackberry Syrup

3 cups fresh blackberries (can sub 1 16-ounce package frozen blackberries, thawed)

1 1/4 cups sugar (or sugar substitute)

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1 teaspoon cornstarch

Process blackberries in a blender until smooth. Stop to scrape down sides as needed. Press blackberry puree through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a medium sauce pan. Use back of a spoon to squeeze out juice (about 1 1/2 cups). Discard pulp and seeds. Add sugar and remaining ingredients to blackberry juice in pan. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat. Stir occasionally. Boil, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes or until sugar is dissolved and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and cool slightly (about 30 minutes). Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes about 2 cups. (Source: Southern Living, July 2012)

My mental image of great blackberry waffles became reality with this inspiring recipe

The last time I visited a particular favorite "serve-breakfast-all-day" eatery, I emerged bummed because I'd not chosen to order the fresh blackberry waffles. I left with "diner's remorse" because the entree I picked turned out to be not nearly as great as my mental image of what those blackberry waffles might have tasted like.

To my great joy after I returned home, I found that my new issue of Southern Living magazine contained none other than a recipe for Lemon- Poppy Seed Belgian Waffles with Blackberry Maple Syrup. Now in my own kitchen I could create a version of what I had bypassed at the restaurant. The Southern Living feature was extolling the virtues of cooking with citrus, in honor of this being citrus season in many locales. We'll get to experience that soon with a future trip to see the Arizona grandpersons and then will enjoy the bucketloads of citrus grown fresh in residents’ back yards.

However, I could enjoy a hint of citrus now—and satisfy my blackberry waffles cravings—with this simple recipe. So last night we had breakfast for dinner. I fired up the Belgian waffle griddle and mixed up a batch of this terrific batter. Using sugar-free maple syrup, low-fat baking mix, and egg substitute healthened-up this recipe and made possible eating quite a few of those waffle wedges without guilt. We didn't pile on the fresh cream, but a couple of teaspoons of sugar-free whipped topping didn’t hurt anything one iota.

Southern Living, you saved the day. And, oh yes, we do have leftovers.

Lemon-Poppy Seed Belgian Waffles with Blackberry Maple Syrup

2 cups low-fat all-purpose baking mix

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1 1/4 cups cold club soda

1 large egg, lightly beaten (or 1/4 cup egg substitute)

1/4 cup butter, melted

fresh whipped cream (or sugar-free whipped topping)

Stir together baking mix, poppy seeds, and lemon zest. Whisk together club soda, egg, and butter in a small bowl; gently whisk egg mixture into poppy-seed mixture. (Mixture will be lumpy.) Let stand 3 minutes. Cook batter (about 3/4 to 1 cup batter each) in a preheated, oiled Belgian-style waffle iron until golden. Serve with Blackberry Maple Syrup (below) and, if desired, fresh cream. Makes 4 servings.

Blackberry Maple Syrup:

1/2 cup sugar-free maple syrup

1 (12-ounce) package frozen blackberries, thawed (frozen mixed berries, thawed, may be subbed)

1 teaspoon lemon zest

2 teaspoons lemon juice

In a medium bowl combine all ingredients. Warm in microwave if you desire to serve this warm.