Blackberry Vanilla Syrup

We're back in black..berries! So many wonderful recipes for blackberries and this syrup is the perfect little gift to give to your neighbor or favorite someone for an end of the summer treat.  It's super easy to make and is so very delicious. Bring on the pancakes and french toast!:).

Ingredients:

• 8oz of washed blackberries fresh is best but frozen works too.
• 1 ½ cups of water
• ½ Tbsp lemon juice
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 vanilla bean or 1 tsp of vanilla extract. (Tanzania are our favorite, but any vanilla bean will do.)

Instructions:

1. Start by adding the blackberries and water to a medium sized pot and bring to a boil.
2. As the berries are boiling use a potato masher or the back of a slotted spoon to crush the blackberries in the pot. Boil the berries and water for about 15 minutes. Stirring every few minutes.
3. Remove the berries from the heat and pour over a strainer collecting all the liquid into a bowl. Gently press to ensure you’ve removed all the liquid you can from the cooked berry/water mixture.
4. Pour the liquid back into a clean pot and add the lemon juice, sugar, and the seeds from the vanilla bean or add the extract.
5. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer for 5 to 10 minutes stirring every few minutes. The longer you cook it the thicker it gets. You decide what’s best for you:). But be careful not to burn it.
6. Makes about 1 ¾ cups and lasts around 2 weeks in the refrigerator.