Syrup

Syrup is a solution with a high concentration of sugar in water. The sugar does not precipitate into crystals because sugar and water have bound to each other, making the liquid very viscous. Syrup is produced either by dissolving sugar in water or by reducing juices that have a certain sugar content, such as the juice from sugar cane, birch sap, or maple sap. When the liquid is heated and its volume reduced, the sugar molecules have a number of ways to form compounds, some of which take on a brown color and constitute a variety of aromatic substances. In general, the mouthfeel is sticky and the extent to which it flows freely depends on the juice from which it is made. Many of the commercial syrups now on the market are produced largely from starches—for example, from corn—and many of them have a large fructose component.