How to make Wild Violet Syrup

This Wild Violet Syrup is the perfect recipe to jump into the beauty of spring! Violets hold a delicate floral flavor that pairs beautifully with bright citrus flavors, or bold garden herbs. Whether it’s a May birthday or the first classy cookout of the season, bringing this simple syrup along is both fun and du jour.

What Are Wild Violets

Wild violets or otherwise known as Common Blue Violet are short perennials that bloom in late April – mid May. Many see these sweet plants as weeds and spend lots of time and money trying to rid of them. Violets are a bright purple flower, even white or yellow at times with almost a slight pansy or viola look to them. Their leaves are heart shaped with a small toothed or scalloped edge. These flowers tend to spread via rhizomes in the soil or by their black seeds they produce near the bottom of the plant (both of which are not edible). Wild violets are actually considered to have many medicinal properties as well!!

How to Identify Wild Violets

Here is a picture of wild violets growing in my backyard above. Again they have potato chip sized leaves that are heart shaped with a small toothed or scalloped edge. The flowers droop down and consist of five floppy bunny ear shaped petals. Two up top that stick up like a peace sign and then two on the bottom with one larger petal between them. Near the center of the flower the petals shift from bright purple to white. The white center has tiny little white hairs and sometime a light orange/brown stigma. These flowers can also be white or yellow. The white flowers have white petals that have a slight purple ombre towards the center. Yellow violets are a bright yellow with very thin and small dark brown stripes that start inside the flower that comes out halfway down the petal.

Please be careful when attempting to identify wild violets!!! If you are unsure if they plant you have found is indeed a wild violet, then discard and do more research to better identify this flower. The reason this is so so important is that there are countless kinds of toxic/poisonous plants that risking this could potentially become a life threatening situation. Again, please refer to guide books on foraging and do more research before you make the call.

Foraging for Wild Violet Petals

When harvesting Wild Violets bring a tall glass or a deep bowl to place the petals into. If its a shallow basin and a strong gust wind comes, the petals will all fly out and scatter everywhere. (Almost had that happen to me haha).

Wild Violets really like to grow in shaded areas with rich soil. This doesn’t mean that they can’t grow in terrible soil. They just prefer healthy well draining soil.

Wild Violets are also a short plant. Typically never growing past 9-12 inches in height. Look for the bright purple flowers emerging from a pencil lead thick, green stem. The leaves grow near the ground coming only about halfway up the total height of the plant.

How to Pick and Prepare Petals For Simple Syrup

Once you have found the Wild Violet and identified that it truly is a Wild Violet, pop the flower off of the stem. Behind the petals the base of the flower is still attached. It looks like a little green cap. Take your fingers and gently pinch off the flower base and toss it on the ground or throw it in the compost. Removing the base is necessary for a purple syrup because if left on it can cause the syrup to look slightly brown. Once the petals are removed from the base put the petals in the tall container and continue to harvest more. You will need about one full cup of lightly packed petals for this recipe.

Wild Violet Syrup Uses

I love pairing this wild violet syrup with Lemon mocktails, light and fluffy pancakes, and even in a blackberry compote for my Lemon cake! I like to use it in black tea a sweetener too! Then when you make it with honey its great for soothing sore throat.

Supplies Needed to make Wild Violet Syrup

• 1 non reactive Bowl or Glass that is heat safe. (Because boiling water will be pored into it. I used a mason jar and it worked perfectly)1
• 1 mesh Sieve or Colander
• 1 medium sized Saucepan
• 1 stainless steal Bowl
• 1 Spoon

Ingredients

• 1 cup of lightly packed violet petals
• 1 cup of boiling water
• 1 oven mitt or kitchen towel
• 1 cup of pure cane sugar or a light colored honey (the syrup will have a brown tinge if you use honey)
• 1 tsp of lemon juice (this is optional and you can use more or less if you like)

How to make Wild Violet Syrup

1. Follow the preparation instructions above, under the (How To Pick and Prepare Petals for Simple Syrup) section and acquire 1 – 1½ cups of petals.
2. In a small or medium saucepan heat 1½ cups of water until it begins to boil.
3. In the meantime Once you have at least 1 Cup or even 1½ Cup of petals, begin by rinsing the petals in a mesh sieve under cold water. You must use cold water or the petals will begin to wilt and loose their color prematurely.
4. After you have removed all traces of bugs and dirt, place the wild violet petals in a heat safe bowl or glass that can hold boiling water.
5. When the water is boiling, using an oven mitt or thick folded towel, carefully remove pot and pour water into heat safe bowl or glass.
6. Let the petals sit for 24 hours in the solution to completely loose their purple glory!!! Or until the petals look almost white with a slight blue grey tint.
7. Now that the water is completely filled with the purple goodness, heat an inch of water in the same medium saucepan and place a stainless steal bowl on top to create bain-marie.
8. Pour the sugar or honey into bowl, as well as the violet extract you just made. Stir with the spoon until the sugar or honey has completely dissolved.
9. Once the sugar dissolves remove from heat and pour Wild Violet Syrup into a clean glass and store for up to 6 months.

I really hoped you enjoyed this recipe!!