Pomegranate Molasses

Method

1. Roll the pomegranates firmly on the worktop to loosen the seeds, halve them and knock the arils out into a bowl. Crush the seeds in batches with a potato masher or blitz for a few seconds and press through a fine sieve, taking care not to grind the pale pith, which turns the syrup bitter. You want 400 ml of juice.
2. Strain the juice a second time through a sieve lined with muslin so the syrup finishes clear and glossy rather than cloudy.
3. Pour the juice into a wide, heavy non-reactive pan (stainless steel or enamel, not aluminium or iron). Add 2 tsp of caster sugar and 1 tsp of lemon juice and stir over medium heat until the sugar has completely dissolved.