On hot summer days, a glass of iced lemonade is always welcome. This drink is not only delicious, it is also easy to make. Being that simple, you can make a little tweak and get a carbonated variant. Just add one step to the process. Lemonade can be made in several ways, even using the blender!
Ingrediants
Simple Sparkling Lemonade
- 1 cup (225 g) of white sugar
- 1 cup (250 ml) of water
- 1 cup (250 ml) of lemon juice
- 3-8 cups (700ml-2L) of cold carbonated water
- ½-1 cup (15-25 g) of fresh mint or basil leaves (optional)
- Mint leaves, basil leaves, or lemon wedges (optional, for garnish)
- Ice cubes (optional, to serve the drink)
Makes about 8 cups (2 l)
Sparkling Iced Lemonade
- 1 cup (225 g) of sugar
- 180 ml of cold water
- 180ml Sprite or another lemon and lime soda
- 180 ml of lemon juice
- 2-3 cups (500-700 g) of ice
Makes 4 drinks
Sparkling Sodium Bicarbonate Lemonade
- 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- Cold water
- 1-2 teaspoons of sugar (to taste)
- Ice cubes (optional, to serve the drink)
Doses for 1-2 drinks
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Make a Simple Sparkling Lemonade
Step 1. Mix the sugar and water in a medium sized saucepan
Pour 1 cup (250 ml) of water into the pot. Add 1 cup (225g) of sugar and mix with a spoon or whisk. You will prepare the sugar syrup in this way.
Step 2. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then simmer for 10 minutes
Once the solution begins to boil, reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes.
To spice up the lemonade even more, add 1/2 to 1 cup (15-25 g) of mint leaves or fresh basil
Step 3. Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool for at least 30 to 60 minutes
If you added some mint or basil leaves, pour the sugar water into another pot using a colander and discard the leaves. At this point the syrup will be ready.
Step 4. Once the sugar water has cooled, pour it into a large jug and stir in the lemon juice
Make sure the jug is large enough to hold the carbonated water as well. Don't add ice for now.
Step 5. Add sparkling water and make any changes
You will need at least 3 cups (750ml) of sparkling water. If you'd prefer the lemonade to be less sweet, use 8 cups (2L) instead.
- If you find the lemonade too sweet, add more lemon juice. If it's not sweet enough, add more sugar.
- If the lemonade is too strong, add more sparkling water. If the flavor is less intense, add more lemon juice and sugar.
Step 6. Serve the lemonade
Place ice in the glasses you intend to serve the lemonade in rather than in the jug. This way it won't water down the drink as it melts. You can serve it on its own or garnish it with mint leaves, basil leaves, or lemon slices.
Method 2 of 3: Make a Frosted Sparkling Lemonade
Step 1. Pour the sugar, lemon juice, fizzy drink and water into a large jug, then mix for a few seconds
The lemonade should not be blended at this time, but the carafe will help you to pour it more easily later.
This recipe allows you to prepare an iced lemonade with a consistency more like a granita than a smoothie
Step 2. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes
Stir it occasionally. This helps dissolve the sugar and intensify the flavor of the lemonade.
Step 3. Pour the lemon mixture into a blender jug and add ice
You will need 2 or 3 cups (500-700g) of ice. The more you use, the thicker the lemonade will be.
Step 4. Blend at full power taking breaks from time to time until you get a smooth result
Turn off the blender from time to time and scoop up any residual mixture left on the sides of the jug with a rubber spatula. This trick helps to mix the ingredients more evenly. When the procedure is complete, the ice should have shattered completely.
Step 5. Pour the lemonade into 4 glasses and serve
You can serve it on its own, or garnish it with mint leaves or lemon zest.
Method 3 of 3: Make a Lemonade with Sodium Bicarbonate
Step 1. Squeeze the juice of one lemon into a glass
Cut a lemon in half, then extract the juice with a juicer. Insert a colander on the glass to collect the pulp and seeds. Throw them away at the end of the process.
This method is a great science experiment because the acid in the lemon juice reacts with the baking soda, making the soda fizzy
Step 2. Add the same amount of water, about 2 or 3 tbsp
At this point the drink should consist of 1 part of water and 1 part of lemon juice.
Step 3. Incorporate the sugar
To start, add 1 teaspoon of sugar. Stir it to dissolve and flavor the drink. If it's not sweet enough, pour in another teaspoon. All that's left for you to do is add the baking soda.
- If you have packaged sugar syrup, you won't need to make it. This will make the procedure much easier!
- Avoid using too much sugar, or it won't dissolve. If you start seeing specks at the bottom of the glass, then you are using too much.
Step 4. Add 1 teaspoon of baking soda and mix
If you are doing the procedure for a science experiment, try adding ½ teaspoon at a time so that you can see the reaction.
Step 5. Serve the lemonade
You can drink it directly or add ice to it. You can also garnish it with a few mint leaves, but it's optional. At this point you can taste it in complete tranquility!
Advice
- You can also follow this recipe, but using sparkling water.
- Use Meyer lemons to make a sweet-tasting lemonade.
- The ideal would be to use freshly squeezed lemon juice. If you can't find fresh lemons, you can try using bottled juice.
- Try using lime to vary the recipe, or mix lemon and lime.
- Allow the glasses to cool in the refrigerator before pouring in the lemonade and serving. This way you can keep it fresh for longer.
- Freeze some lemonade in an ice cube tray and use it instead of regular ones. That way you don't have to worry about the drink running down.
- Garnish the lemonade with mint leaves, slices or lemon peel.
- You can also garnish it by fixing a slice of fruit on the edge of the glass.
- While making the sugar syrup, add slices of ginger, basil or mint leaves, then strain them. This way the lemonade will be even tastier.
- If you have a carbonator, you can make lemonade with regular water and then carbonate it with this machine.
