Dark, rich syrup infused with the essence of pine. Makes a little under 2 cups. This is a small amount, you can scale the recipe using the same proportions as needed. For large batches, just combine pine cones with approximately twice their weight in non-white sugar.
2cups(8 oz) young red pineor other pine cones (soft enough to be cut with a knife) *
2cups(16 oz) organic brown sugaror other brown sugar, just not white which is dry and makes a clear syrup
Instructions
Maceration
Rinse the cones in warm water to remove any foreign particles if needed. I don't usually wash them. Inspect your cones for any that have holes or insects and discard.
Combine the sugar and pine cones and pack into a quart jar, then allow to macerate (age) for 30 days. Put the jars in a sunny place where they will get warm during the day, which will help ward off mold.
During the first few weeks of maceration, open the jar occasionally to release carbon dioxide as the mixture will ferment vigorously. Shake it occasionally to help it on it's journey.
As the cones release their water, the volume of the contents in the jar will decrease. If you have more cones and sugar, you can add it to fill up the jar.
Finishing and storing
After the maceration is complete, scrape the sugar slush and pine cones into a pot, bring to a brisk simmer and heat through to melt the sugar, then strain and bottle. Discard the cooked cones and thank them for their service.
All you need to do is bring the temperature up and melt the sugar, if you reduce the syrup too much it will crystalize after it cools. For the amounts listed it should take about 5-10 minutes.
The syrup is stable at room temperature since the fermentation lowers the pH, but will keep the best flavor in the fridge. It can also be water bath processed, which I'll do if I sell it. For home storage I pour the very hot syrup into jars, screw on the lids and turn them upside down to seal.
Video
Notes
*I use young cones of Pinus resinosum (red pine) but many different pine cones (and even cedar cones) can work similarly. Each one I've tried has a slightly different flavor.