Prickly Pear Syrup Recipe

Prickly pear fruits (sabras) make a delicious and naturally colorful syrup. Of course, you can use this syrup on top of pancakes, but it is also wonderful for cocktails or as the base for a granita or sorbet. Prickly pears are the fruits of opuntia cactus plants. Their tasty pulp ranges from a gorgeous saffron gold to a rosy magenta color, and they make a wonderful syrup. If you purchase prickly pear fruits, they will already have the notorious prickles (technically called glochids) removed. Even if you buy prickly pears, it's a good idea to wear gloves just in case there are still a couple of glochids present. Use a paring knife to peel the fruits and discard the peels. Prickly pear fruit is very seedy, but for this recipe, you don't have to deal with the seeds at all.