We’ve had a lime tree for about 3-4 years now. His name is Keith (Keith Lime is his government name). He lives in a big tote on top of a pallet with caster wheels on the bottom, for optimum lime-mobility. He has moved houses with us and provided us with a few tiny but flavor-packed limes over the years (and leaves, for lime-leaf tea).
This year, Keith has really stepped up his game and started growing bigger limes. We used a few fresh-squeezed to flavor our Friday night tacos al pastor, and then my husband gave me the last 2 and asked me to make something sweeter.
I think he thought I would make a simple sweetened lime juice flavored water (Agua Fresca). He. Thought. Wrong!
The limes were so fragrant, I knew I had to make something I could incorporate the fresh smelling peel into. I decided to make a lime juice and grated lime peel-infused simple syrup.
I heated 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar in a saucepan on high, turning the heat down to low as soon as it began to boil, so the water would not evaporate too fast or burn the sugar on the bottom.
I squeezed the juice from the lime into the pot. The juice isn’t a huge volume, the main flavor will come from the peel, so I felt like hand squeezing was fine.
I then used a fine grater/zester to grate the entire skin off the lime and put that into my hot saucepan as well. I let that cook on low for no more than 2-3 min. I was afraid the peel would become bitter if boiled too long.
Then I took the whole pan off the burner and just let it steep for close to 20 min. I ran it first through a mesh metal strainer, then once it was a little cooler I poured it through a clean paper towel to strain it a little more finely. I did that a second time for good measure.
The result was a nice green-tinged viscous liquid. My “simple syrup” was really more like thick water than a true syrup. I’m sure boiling it a little longer before adding the lime or perhaps adding a little more sugar at the beginning might give a more syrupy consistency, but alas, I was out of limes at this point.
Keith has quite a few little buds and flowers still, so maybe I’ll get a second chance on a second round of limes to test that theory on.
I made some simple mini vanilla cakes (recipe at the end) in little 7 oz ramekins and poured the lime syrup over the top as a glaze in lieu of icing/frosting. This was a big hit with my husband, who loves lime. Not so much with my toddler, who was highly suspicious of a sticky but unfrosted cake. You win some, you lose some!
At the last minute, I decided to dye the remaining syrup green in an attempt to give the last vanilla cake some “pizzazz”. I will not be doing that again, as it had ZERO added pizzazz and made the syrup look like mouthwash.
At any rate, it was a fun little late evening project and did produce a sweet end result.
Mini vanilla cakes:
4 tbsp flour
2 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp milk
2 tbsp vegetable oil
Mix all ingredients well in a bowl (a fork works fine), separate between two small ramekins (oven-safe coffee mugs also work!) and bake at 350 degrees for 12-20 min, checking frequently fore doneness.
Recommend pouring lime syrup over the top while still warm for maximum soak up of the deliciousness!
—Ash