Home-made lemon balm syrup

Shake the lemon balm leaves dry and cut off the hard stems. 

Wash the lemons with hot water and peel off the zest without too much white pith, which would make the syrup bitter. Press the lemon juice into a bowl and add the lemon zest. Then, peel off the orange zest and add it to the mixture. 

Pour the cold water into the bowl and submerge the lemon balm leaves well so that they release their sweet aroma. Leave the mixture covered and in a cool place (e.g., fridge) for three days. 

After steeping, place a straining cloth over a large pot and strain the syrup mixture to remove the solid parts. Add the sugar and citric acid to your clear green liquid, bring everything to the boil and stir until the sugar has completely dissolved. 

Pour the hot syrup into sterilised bottles and seal well. Store in a cool place.