Family fun with Clarks maple syrup

When it comes to the maple syrup, Clarks, the UK's best selling maple syrup brand, knows a thing or two about it. Family-run Clarks Maple Syrup offers a varied range of delicious syrups.

Clarks explains:

"Small farm producers in Quebec, Canada, harvest the sap of the maple tree and then boil it; this simple process creates deliciously sweet Clarks Maple Syrup - it really is as simple as that!"

Maple syrup is a wonderfully versatile product which could enhance a whole range of dishes, from sweet to savoury. Cupcakes, sponge cakes, ice cream, milkshakes, salad dressings and sauces: maple syrup is not just for pancakes and waffles

In the last week or two I was testing two different syrups from the Clarks range:

Clarks No.2 Amber Maple Syrup 
"A pure blend, with a rich colour and deep flavour. Ideal for marinades, baking and dressings, or simply as a healthier alternative to sugar, rrp £2.99"

This blend has a gorgeous deep colour (I wish my hair was this rich shade) with a tint of auburn. The taste is intense and delicious.

Another flavour that I tested was:
Vanilla Maple Syrup blended with Carob Fruit Syrup
"A blend of pure Canadian maple syrup, carob fruit from the Mediterranean and natural vanilla flavouring. This syrup works well for sweet dishes and baking.  Try it mixed in with porridge or on waffles for breakfast - or poured over ice cream for a sweet treat, rrp £2.10"

This syrup is milder in flavour than the Amber maple syrup, and more delicate. The labelling on the bottle is very clear that this is a mix with the carob fruit syrup. It was lovely used in Maple syrup, vanilla and oat cookies (see below). And also lush on porridge.

"Maple Syrup is a good source of zinc to aid the immune system and has as fewer calories weight-for-weight than sugar and honey. It can also be a great ingredient for those looking to make small changes for a healthier lifestyle - try adding a dash of Clarks to your morning coffee instead of sugar."

I love baking, and if you follow my blog, you might have noticed that we often have a baking session with my kids.

Carrot and maple syrup cupcakes (about 8)
Ingredients:
1 orange (juice and zest)
2 medium eggs
100g granulated sugar
100ml olive oil
100g grated carrot
2tbsp maple syrup
1tsp cinnamon
1/2tsp ground ginger
1tbsp ground almonds
150g self-raising flour
1tsp baking powder
3tsbp sunflower, pumpkin seeds and pine nuts (topping)

Grate the carrot in the mixing bowl. Add the zest and juice of one orange, eggs, sugar, olive oil, maple syrup, cinnamon, ginger, ground almonds, self-raising flour and baking powder. Mix well.
Spoon the cupcake mix into the paper cupcake cases and sprinkle the sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and pine nuts on top. Place the muffin tin (with the cupcake cases in) in the oven preheated to 180C and bake for about 20-25 minutes. Insert the wooden skewer to check if it comes clean.
The cupcakes are fluffy and delicate in texture.
Lovely eaten warm, but nice cold as well.

I have also baked a batch of Maple Syrup, Vanilla and Oat cookies yesterday to celebrate my little man's first day at the nursery. It was a stressful day for us both. I think we were both happy to be reunited after three hours of separation. My little man is all grown up now. To calm down our nerves, what could be better than a cooking session? Freshly baked cookies were a perfect snack for a relaxing afternoon. I used Clarks Vanilla Maple syrup in this recipe for the more delicate flavour. The sweet aroma of baking was comforting and tempting, and these cookies are ideal for the afternoon munchies or before bed with a glass of milk.

You can find out more information, along with lots of recipes, at Clarks.

Disclosure: I received two bottles of Clarks maple syrup for the purposes of reviewing, all opinions and recipe suggestions are mine.