Shakarparas To Gulab Jamun: The Use Of Sugar Syrup In Indian Sweets

If you have a sweet tooth, you must love indulging in desserts made of sugar syrup. In the realm of Indian desserts, the use of sugar syrup is a common and essential practice that not only enhances the flavor but also the texture of various sweet treats. For the unversed, sugar syrup is the concoction of sugar and water.

The use of sugar syrup in Indian sweets can be traced back to the Mughal era when intricate sweets and confections became a symbol of luxury and royalty. Over time, the culinary landscape evolved, and the practice of using sugar syrup became an integral part of traditional recipes across the subcontinent. Whether you’re trying shakarparas or gulab jamun, the use of sugar syrup plays an important role which creates a melt-in-the-mouth effect.

We’ll list several sweets that use sugar syrup. Take a look:

Shakarparas

Shakarparas stand out to be crispy, bite-sized pastries that make use of sugar syrup. After the sweets are deep fried to a golden color these wheat flour-based pastries transform after they are coated in a fragrant sugar syrup. The sugar syrup offers a sweet and glossy sheen and also ensures a balance of flavors. Sometimes they are infused with cardamom or saffron which elevates the crunchy delights.

Jalebi

We know that you’re already salivating upon reading the name, jalebi. It is a coiled, orange-coloured delight filled with sweetness and tanginess. The key to their irresistible taste lies in the sugar syrup. The batter is made of fermented flour or urad dal and then it is deep-fried to achieve a special spiral shape, the jalebis are then dipped in warm sugar syrup. The syrup is infused with aromatic saffron and cardamom which seeps through the porous texture of the jalebi, transforming into a syrup-laden delight.

Rasgulla

In rasgulla, the use of sugar syrup is a fundamental and defining step. Made by coagulating milk into chenna, rasgulla are small, soft balls that are then simmered into light sugar syrup. The sugar syrup is infused with cardamom or saffron for added aroma. The chenna balls absorb the sweetness from the sugar syrup, imparting a delicate flavour and achieving a spongy and airy consistency.

Malpua

They are deep-fried pancakes made from flour, milk, and semolina with a generous amount of sugar syrup drizzle. After the malpua are fried to golden colour, they are immersed in sugar syrup which is infused with cardamom and saffron. With time, the sugar syrup seems into malpua, exuding sweetness in each bite. The warm malpua and aromatic sugar syrup create a harmonious blend.

Gulab Jamun

Sugar syrup plays an important role in transforming gulab jamun into a delectable sweet. Gulab jamuns are soft and spongy milk-based dumplings that are made by combining khoya. They are shaped into round balls and deep-fried until golden brown. The true magic happens when these balls are immersed in sugar syrup. The syrup is infused with fragrant rose water, cardamom, and sometimes saffron. The syrup is absorbed by the gulab jamun imparting moist and sweet notes.