Spiced ginger pear shrub features a complex spice mix of ginger, vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom, aniseed, black pepper, bay leaf and cacao nibs. The shrub syrup adds rich pear flavour, heat from ginger and pepper and sweetness from sweet spices and coconut sugar, along with rich chocolate notes from raw cacao nibs.
I have created two variations below – one with ginger and pear and the other with lemon replacing one of the pears. The ginger pear recipe is great with my pear pickle sour cocktail. The lemon variation works well with champagne in my ginger pear champagne cocktail. One of the pears is replaced with the juice and zest of one lemon and a little raw honey is added to balance the sweet-sour flavours.
Spiced ginger pear shrub syrup is delicious with all bubbles and especially in pear pickle sour cocktail and ginger pear champagne cocktail where the apple cider vinegar and complex spices add intensity and depth of flavour.
Spiced ginger pear shrub
Print RecipeIngredients
- 400 grams cored and chopped pears
- Zest and juice of one lemon – for the lemon variation (if using lemon leave out one of the pears)
- 100 grams grated ginger
- 200 grams coconut sugar
- ½ cup water
- 2 teaspoons raw organic honey – for the lemon variation
- 1 vanilla pod with seeds scraped
- ½ teaspoon aniseed
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon ground
- 1 teaspoon cardamom ground
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 dessert spoon raw cacao nibs
- ¾ cup apple cider vinegar
Instructions
If using the lemon rub the lemon zest into the coconut sugar and set aside
Add the pears, ginger, lemon juice if using, and water to a blender and blend or to a clean container and muddle with a muddling stick
Add the pear and ginger mixture to a clean container along with the sugar and spices and honey if making the lemon variation
Place the container in the fridge and allow to macerate for 2-4 hours
Meanwhile sterilise your jars (see Resources)
Strain the mixture using a fine mesh sieve and add the apple cider vinegar
Decant the shrub into the sterilised jars and keep in the fridge for up to one week
Notes
This recipe is inspired by Jaimee Edward’s from Cornersmith recipe for Strawberry and basil shrub although I have here used a cold process following Michael Dietsch see his wonderful book Shrubs. For more information about shrubs and their fascinating history see Shrubs by Michael Dietsch. Food52, The Kitchn and Food in Jars have other great resources on how to make shrubs.
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