now it's pomegranate syrup

[Eppursimuove]

I'm so fed up of recipes (usually in a magazine or paper) that have one non-obtainable ingredient. I live in a large city - not London, so maybe that's the problem - and wanted to make a cake, having seen the recipe in the paper.
It required pomegranate syrup. The assistants at the big Sainsburys I went to had never heard of it, but checked, and they didn't stock it. If it's not PS, it's another unusual ingredient.
The trouble is that I have no idea of what it's like, so don't know what to substitute it with.
Yes, I know, a real 1st world problem. but still annoying, as it happens a lot. Mind you, a lot less since I stopped using Ottalenghi recipes.

I've used pomegrate molasses for years, I'd imagine it's the same thing and have always got it from Sainsbury. You could try a middle eastern shop if there's one near you.

It’s been around for years.

Try looking for pomegranate molasses.

It’s a thick sweet and sour syrup. Is it a stew type of recipe? Use prunes instead if it’s a long slow cooking.

I get this too! It's not just you OP.

But I agree Ottolenghi’s books are a wanker’s treasure trove of ingredients.

Marks & Spencer stock it OP. It's not cheap though. I love fatoush salad though so it's worth it. Don't use prunes for drizzling on top of that!

Amazon have it.

Having looked at a bottle there, I wonder if you'd find it in the drinks aisle where you'd find cocktail ingredients like Grenadine.

You could try looking on Amazon OP. They have all sorts of unusual food things. I know that's not very helpful though if you want to make something the same day.

Why not? Cut them up finely, call them an exotic name and cover them in mint and coriander leaves.

My local Asda stock it. Previously I’ve used a combination of ingredients to replicate it - can’t remem what they were though....

Oh, sorry, OP.

Cake you say?

You can reduce some red wine and sugar until syrupy. I used that in a chocolate cake once.

Majority of supermarkets have it and if you have any shop selling foreign, mainly arabic, foods they will have it in there. I think the problem is they called it syrup instead of molasses as it's known as.

Well what kind of cake are you trying to make? If I was making a regular sponge I wouldn’t expect to find that kind of ingredient but If I was trying to make a Middle Eastern recipe ( or anything from Ottolenghi) I would expect something different. I got mine from a Middle Eastern shop which are worth hunting down because their spice ranges are often much better and cheaper than the supermarkets. Plus great hummus, breads etc. So YABU to go to Sainsbury’s!!!!

Haven't tried it but I would think that gently simmering pomegranate juice (probably best to choose a juice without artificial sweeteners) until it is reduced to a syrup would probably give you the right sort of result.

I would think grenadine could substitute - that's just pomegranate juice, sugar and water.

We make ours at work by reducing pomegranate juice.

Waitrose have pomegranate molasses.

You can easily make it from pomegranate juice and sugar.

I saw the girl who won bake off on This Morning some time ago, Candice I think it was, making the most gorgeous little cakes.

The stand out ingredient was Lindt chocolate with raspberry pieces.

Could I find that chocolate bar anywhere?!

I wondered if anyone managed to make them.

Sigh.

I can imagine my gran tutting at this one "och why do they have to fiddle around with things to try and make them fancy, there's nothing wrong with a victoria sponge"

Isn’t grenadine pomegranate syrup? If so, every big supermarket has it, usually with cocktail stuff.

Would date syrup be a more accessible substitute?

Any Turkish supermarkets near you? They would definitely have it.

@MuffinMad Waitrose (mine, at least) has those exact Lindt bars on offer at the moment!

Don’t use grenadine! It’s far too sweet. You could try boiling down balsamic vinegar with some dark sugar to get the right sweet/sour note.

I knew this would be about Ottolenghi . My downstairs neighbour made one of his salads for a party once, and I asked her how she got on with all the fiddly ingredients: "Oh, I just leave them out love!" I always think of her when I see his recipes.