RestaurantsSpicy Water African GrillLemonade (carafe) Recipe

Lemonade (carafe) Recipe

Time30m
Serves6

Make Lemonade (carafe) Recipe in just 30m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.

Was this page helpful?

Help improve this recipe for others.

Send this recipe to your inbox.

We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.

Ingredients

Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Simple Syrup

Method

Simple Syrup

1

Combine sugar and water

In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup water. If using, add the lemon zest to infuse extra aroma.

2

Heat to dissolve

Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir gently until the sugar has fully dissolved and the mixture is clear, about 3–5 minutes. Do not boil vigorously — a gentle simmer is fine.

3

Cool and strain

Remove from heat. If you added lemon zest, let the syrup cool for 10 minutes, then strain out the zest through a fine mesh sieve. Transfer the simple syrup to a heatproof container and cool to room temperature (about 20–30 minutes) or refrigerate until ready. Yields about 1 cup of syrup.

Lemonade

4

Juice the lemons

Roll the lemons on the countertop to loosen juices. Cut enough lemons to yield 1 cup (about 4–6 medium lemons depending on size). Strain the juice through a fine mesh sieve to remove seeds and excess pulp if you prefer a smooth lemonade.

5

Mix lemonade base

In a 1.5–2 quart carafe, combine 1 cup fresh lemon juice and 1 cup cooled simple syrup. Stir to combine.

6

Dilute with water

Add 3 cups cold water to the carafe and stir. Taste and adjust: for stronger lemonade add up to 1/2 cup more lemon juice; for sweeter add up to 1/4 cup more simple syrup.

7

Chill and serve

Add 2 cups of ice cubes to the carafe or to individual glasses. Pour the lemonade over ice. Garnish with lemon slices (6 slices) and optional mint sprigs. Serve immediately, or refrigerate the carafe for up to 24 hours (add fresh ice when serving).

8

Notes

This recipe makes one carafe (about 1.5 liters). Adjust sweetness or tartness to taste. For sparkling lemonade, substitute 1–2 cups of the cold water with chilled club soda just before serving.

More from Spicy Water African Grill