How to cook and bake with maple syrup

Most of us have no childhood memories attached to maple syrup. What we do have is a food landscape that has shrunk the world and expanded our grocery lists to include ingredients from every corner of it. We may not have fir trees, snowy winters or crackling fireplaces—except in the Himalayan states—but a drizzle of pure maple syrup can still bring the cold climes and forests of Canada and New England right into our kitchens in India.

Pure maple syrup’s flavour comes from a mix of naturally occurring compounds that give it caramelised, nutty and slightly woody notes, along with a subtle bitterness that keeps the sweetness in check. It is sweet, yes, but not in that flat, one-dimensional way sugar can be. What I find fascinating is that despite this complexity, maple syrup itself is beautifully uncomplicated—a single-ingredient sweetness that comes straight from the mature tree, naturally organic, with no stabilisers, colours or “natural flavours”. But in this simplicity, tapping maple syrup requires precise timing—ideally when daytime temperatures rise above freezing but nights remain below. This usually occurs in late winter or early spring, just as the trees awaken and the sap begins to rise.

It’s worth noting that there is nothing in common between real maple syrup and the product sold as pancake syrup. One comes from a tree; the other from a factory line. Pancake syrup is usually a blend of refined sugar or high-fructose corn syrup, artificial maple flavouring, caramel colour and thickeners. It is like the difference between vanilla essence and vanilla extract. The flavour of maple syrup also varies with soil, season, and the way it’s boiled. And just as with wine or single malt, the most unique character comes from small-batch, single-forest producers rather than blended batches. I hope all this information comes to use when you read the label on a bottle of maple syrup and wonder why it is so expensive compared to manufactured pancake syrup.

All this is to say: once you bring home a bottle of real maple syrup, it deserves to be used well. And not just something to pour over pancakes or waffles. Here are some ideas.

Wintry beverages: Be it that mug of hot chocolate, hot toddy or eggnog, drizzle maple syrup on the inside of the glass for hints of bitter-sweet flavour, or on top of your latte or cappuccino. For a festive touch, line the glass rim with maple syrup, then dip it in cinnamon sugar.

Party appetisers: Maple syrup drizzle over whipped ricotta or feta along with some chilli oil makes a perfect sweet-spicy-tangy trifecta that no one can resist. Serve alongside crackers as a show-stopping dip. Roast carrots and sweet potatoes with a little ghee, maple syrup, chilli flakes, and cumin. A lovely way to showcase Indian winter produce. Toss nuts like almonds, walnuts and cashews in a maple syrup, salt and chilli powder mix, oven bake until golden and crisp.

Sweets and bakes: Using maple syrup as a partial sugar substitute lends bakes a mellow sweetness and depth of flavour. Combine with spices like cinnamon, clove, ginger and nutmeg for true Christmas feels. Interspersed in between layers of a parfait with Greek yogurt, granola, roasted nuts and chopped fruit, maple syrup adds the right amount of sweetness.

MAPLE APPLE SPICED LOAF

Makes an 8x4 inch loaf

Ingredients

2 medium-sized apples

2-3 tbsp maple syrup

1 tsp ginger powder

One-and-a-half tsp cinnamon powder

Half tsp nutmeg powder

Quarter tsp clove powder

2 tsp soft brown sugar

For the batter

1 cup all-purpose flour

Quarter cup wheat flour

1 tsp baking powder

Half tsp baking soda

Half tsp salt

Half cup brown sugar

1 egg

2 tbsp thick yogurt

2 tbsp maple syrup

Quarter cup neutral flavoured oil (like rice bran)

1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

Core and chop the apples into small cubes (about quarter inch). Toss in maple syrup, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and brown sugar. Set aside for 15 minutes.

Mix the dry ingredients—flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt, in a bowl.

In another larger bowl, combine the wet ingredients, whisking them for a minute or so until well combined. Add three fourths of the apple mixture to the wet ingredients and mix well. Gently fold in the dry ingredients into the wet, taking care not to overmix.

Preheat the oven at 180 degrees Celsius.

Butter and line an 8x4 inch loaf pan. Transfer the batter to the loaf pan and gently spread the remaining apple mixture on top. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

Let it cool down completely before slicing. Serve warm with coffee.

(Adapted from Chef John’s Apple Fritter Loaf recipe)

THE TEETOTALER’S MAPLE HOT TODDY

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 cups water

1 tsp tea leaves

2 cinnamon sticks

3 cloves

2-3 pieces of orange peel (white parts scraped)

2 tbsp maple syrup

Quarter-cup pure apple or orange juice

Lemon or orange wedges

Method

In a small sauce pan, bring 2 cups water to a boil. Stir in tea leaves, cinnamon and cloves and let this simmer for 5 minutes on a low flame. Add the orange peel. Cover and let it brew for another 2 minutes.

Pass the tea through a strainer into a small jug. Add the maple syrup and juice.

Serve hot in mugs with a garnish of a lemon or orange wedge.

Double Tested is a fortnightly column on vegetarian cooking, highlighting a single ingredient prepared two ways. Nandita Iyer (@saffrontrail) is a doctor, wellness advocate and author.