Angelica Honey Syrup

A fragrant honey syrup made with young garden angelica stems. Its distinctive herbal flavour adds a botanical note to tea, sparkling water, yoghurt and desserts. Make a small batch to refrigerate, or freeze portions for later.

Cooking with wild plants

Use only confidently identified garden angelica (Angelica archangelica). This plant family includes highly poisonous lookalikes, so never gather stems on appearance or smell alone. Read the Angelica Guide →

Golden angelica honey syrup in a glass bottle beside sliced green stems and a teaspoon of syrup

Angelica Honey Syrup

An aromatic syrup made by simmering young Angelica archangelica stems in water and sweetening the strained infusion with honey. Use a little to flavour drinks or drizzle over yoghurt and desserts.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 1 batch, approximately 300–350 ml
Course: Syrup
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 50 g Young garden angelica stems or leaf stalks Angelica archangelica; washed and thinly sliced
  • 250 ml Water
  • 200 g Mild runny honey raw or regular

Equipment

  • Kitchen scales
  • Measuring jug
  • Knife and chopping board
  • Small saucepan with lid
  • Fine sieve
  • Heatproof jug
  • Spoon
  • Clean bottle or jar approximately 400 ml
  • Gloves for handling freshly cut angelica
  • Small freezer-safe containers optional

Method
 

  1. Wearing gloves, prepare confidently identified young garden angelica stems or leaf stalks. Remove leaves and any tough or damaged parts. Wash, slice thinly and weigh out 50 g.
  2. Put the sliced angelica and water in a small saucepan. Cover and bring to a gentle simmer.
  3. Simmer gently for 10 minutes, keeping the lid on and checking that the pan does not boil dry.
  4. Strain through a fine sieve into a heatproof jug. Discard the plant material.
  5. While the infusion is still warm, stir in the honey until fully dissolved. The finished syrup will be pourable rather than thick like honey.
  6. Cool promptly, using a cold-water bath around the jug if needed. Transfer to a clean container, close and refrigerate within two hours of preparation.
  7. Use within 48 hours, or freeze small portions promptly for later. Label with the preparation date.

Notes

Plant choice: This recipe uses garden angelica (Angelica archangelica). Do not substitute other angelica species, roots, seeds or unidentified plants.
Handling: Angelica sap can cause skin reactions after exposure to sunlight. Wear gloves when cutting fresh material and wash off any sap that contacts your skin.
Flavour: Use young, tender stems or leaf stalks. Flavour varies between plants, so assess the finished batch before adjusting a future batch.
Storage: This is diluted honey syrup, not preserved honey or a tested shelf-stable cordial. Refrigerate and use within 48 hours as a conservative household precaution. Freeze portions you will not use in that time.
Freezing: Use small freezer-safe containers with expansion space. Honey syrup may remain partly soft when frozen. Thaw a portion in the refrigerator and use promptly.
Honey: Raw honey is optional. Do not give this syrup to children under 12 months.
Timing and yield: Preparation time excludes cooling. The approximate yield depends on evaporation and how much liquid remains in the strained stems.

Serving Tips

Start with a teaspoon in tea or sparkling water and adjust to taste. You can also drizzle a little over plain yoghurt, pancakes or stewed fruit. Its distinctive herbal flavour works best as a small accent.

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