blackberry syrup

The waffle is a regular when it comes to breakfast around here.

Growing up, my family always made big breakfasts. Eggs, bacon, pancakes–Mickey Mouse pancakes to be exact. We topped them with maple syrup, sliced strawberries and an occasional dollop or two of whipped cream. Breakfast was the one meal that pleased everyone at the table.

I’m still a huge breakfast fan, always looking for new ways to incorporate old favorites with new flavors. Cue my new favorite topping, blackberry syrup . . . It’s the perfect way to liven up a stack of toasty waffles.

makes ~1/2 mason jar

1 lb. fresh blackberries

1 c. sugar

1 c. water

2 tbs. lemon juice

zest of a whole lemon

In a medium saucepan on low heat, combine the blackberries, sugar and water.  Occasionally stir with a wooden spoon.  The berries begin to reduce. As the sugar melts and the mixture begins to come together, stir in the lemon juice and the lemon zest. This freshens up the syrup. Remove the syrup from the heat, and set aside to cool.  Once room temperature, transfer into a container for serving/storage. Refrigerate the syrup in an airtight container after use. Serve the syrup on waffles, pancakes or over vanilla ice cream.  Garnish each serving with fresh blackberries and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon.