Papelon With Lemon Recipe
Make Papelon With Lemon Recipe in just 20m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Papelón syrup (Panela syrup)
Beverage
Method
Papelón syrup (Panela syrup)
- 1
Make syrup
Place 1 cup panela (or dark brown sugar) and 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Add the lemon zest. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar/panela. Once it reaches a simmer, reduce heat to low and simmer 6–8 minutes until slightly thickened into a syrup. Skim any foam from the surface if needed.
- 2
Taste the syrup; it should be sweet with a deep, molasses-like flavor. If too strong, add 1–2 tablespoons water and stir. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Strain out the zest if you prefer a smooth syrup or leave it for extra lemon aroma.
- 3
Transfer syrup to a container. Stored refrigerated, it will keep up to 2 weeks.
Assemble the beverage
- 4
Combine base
In a pitcher, add the cooled papelón syrup. Start with 3–4 tablespoons (about 1/4 cup) of syrup for the full recipe (adjust to taste). Pour in 4 cups cold water and 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice. Stir thoroughly to combine. Taste and adjust: add more syrup for sweetness/depth or more lemon juice for brightness.
- 5
Serve
Fill four glasses with ice (about 1/2 cup ice per glass). Divide the prepared papelón with lemon among the glasses. Garnish each glass with a lemon slice and 1–2 mint leaves if using. Serve immediately.
- 6
Optional: For a lightly carbonated version, replace 1–2 cups of the cold water with club soda and add it just before serving to preserve fizz.