Ingredients:
- 4 packed cups (80g) fresh Dandelion Petals (yellow only, no green parts)
- 4 cups (950 ml) Water (filtered recommended)
- 2 cups (400g) Granulated Sugar
- Zest and juice of 1 medium Lemon
Instructions:
- Harvest only the yellow petals, ensuring no green sepals or stems remain. Gently rinse and pat thoroughly dry.
- Combine the dried petals and 4 cups of water in a non-reactive pot. Bring gently to a simmer (do not boil vigorously).
- Remove from heat, cover, and allow the mixture to steep for a minimum of 4 hours, or ideally, overnight, to fully extract the flavour.
- Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth into a clean bowl to remove the solids. Gently squeeze the cheesecloth to extract all liquid.
- Return the strained dandelion liquid to the clean saucepan. Add the granulated sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
- Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Bring the mixture to a gentle, rolling boil. Maintain this gentle boil, allowing the water to evaporate and the syrup to thicken for 20–30 minutes.
- Simmer until the syrup coats the back of a spoon or reaches approximately 220°F (104°C).
- For an ultra-clear syrup, strain the hot syrup once more through a clean piece of cheesecloth directly into sterilized jars.
- Seal the jars immediately while hot. Allow to cool completely before refrigerating.