What is the equation to make lemonade out of just lemon juice, sugar and water?!
What is the equation to make lemonade out of just lemon juice, sugar and water?
Answers:
Love lemonade
1 c. sugar
1 c. water
1 large lemon
16 to 20 oz. cold water
ice
garnishes (optional): mint sprig, lemon slice, maraschino cherry
Instructions
STEP 1: Make sugar syrup: Combine 1 c. sugar and 1 c. water in a saucepan and heat to boiling. Remove from heat, stir to dissolve sugar completely, and allow to cool. (You'll only use a couple of tablespoons per serving, but this is a good item to make ahead and store in the refrigerator, covered. It keeps for weeks.) STEP 2: For each serving, combine the juice of half a lemon, 2 tbsp. of the sugar syrup and 8 to 10 oz. cold water in a tall glass. STEP 3: Add ice and any of the garnishes (or all of them, if you're feeling festive). Serve immediately.
Its not nearly that hard. Just get a good amount of water and add the others until you like the taste. Ta Da. :)
CLASSIC LEMONADE
Summertime is the right time for this timeless beverage.Makes 40 ounces (about 5 servings)
3 1/2 cups Water
1 cup Lemon juice, freshly squeezed (about 4-6 large lemons)
5 ounces Granulated sugar
Mix together all ingredients until well blended. Serve immediately over ice.
FROZEN LEMONADE TRICK
Just about any frozen lemonade isjust fine. To make it taste more like it has been just squozed, I thinly slice a lemon crosswise and plunk the slices in the pitcher and let them "steep" in the lemonade or I will squeeze a lemon's worth of juice into the pitcher with the rest of it all. Then, toss in the used lemon halves. It's the rind flavor that adds the zing! You can fish the halves out before you serve, if you want.
HOMEMADE LEMONADE
Most people just expect the sugar to dissolve in the pitcher of water and lemon juice and think that's lemonade...well, it is, of course, but the way to really make it the very best is to make a simple syrup to add to the lemon/water. Use that as the sweetening, not granulated sugar. That way the lemonade's not sour on top, too sweet on the bottom or requiring a stir all the time. A simple syrup is simple...not difficult to do or time consuming. I make my day's worth of syrup when I put on the
kettle for my morning tea. Multitasking take on lemonade preparation!
SIMPLE SYRUP
2 C water
1 C sugar
Place in a small saucepan on medium heat. Bring to a boil stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the flame and keep at a hard simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Let cool or refrigerate until ready to use. This is enough simple syrup to make 4 to 6 tall glasses of
lemonade. If you know you are going to need a greater quantity, multiply the recipe.
BASIC LEMONADE
1 C fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 C cold water
1 simple syrup recipe, cooled
Mix...what can I say...it's not that hard. You can also adjust the sweetness by adding more lemon juice or less sugar. You know what you like.
FLAVORS YOU CAN ADD FOR ZING
When you make the simple syrup, add one of the following while it cools:
1 C fresh basil
1/2 C (packed) chopped fresh mint
1 T lemon or orange zest, in large strips
1 t orange blossom water with 1/4 C chopped mint
1/2 C chopped mint with grated fresh ginger (to taste)
1 qt fresh (or frozen unsweetened, thawed) strawberries hulled and pureed
2 nectarines peeled, pitted, and pureed
If you want the lemonade to not have anything floating in it, let the flavors steep while it cools. Then strain through a fine sieve before adding to the lemon juice and water.
PINK LEMONADE
add 2 T Grenadine syrup
a couple of drops of red food coloring, if you like it true pink
HONEY LEMONADE
Instead of the simple syrup, make a honey version and substitute. This is very tasty with the ginger/mint combo.
1/3 orange blossom honey
2 C boiling water
Stir the honey and hot water until fully blended then add the rest of the basic lemonade recipe.
CUCUMBER LEMONADE
I know it sounds weird but it's refreshing for a grownup crowd
1 seedless cucumber peeled
2 qts lemonade
Grate the cucumber into the pitcher of lemonade. Stir well. Garnish glasses with a thin cucumber slice or very thin slices of both cucumber and lemon slit and placed on the rim.
FLOURISHES
Put an edible flower or rose petal into each ice cube mold and fill with water and freeze...very pretty.
Make ice cubes out of the lemonade...stays cold and doesn't dilute.
Watermelon ice cubes...puree seeded watermelon and freeze in ice cube tray...this wows 'em.
Just like a margarita, glaze the rim of the glass...only use pretty colored sugar.
Now if you are a real lemon-lovin' lemon-sipper, here's how the French do it.
CITRON PRESSE
Squeeze lots of lemons. Use tall glasses with a small diameter with ice. Pour in lemon juice about 3/4 full.
Serve with a pitcher of cold water and a bowl of sugar.
The French sit outside watching the world stroll by. They add sugar to the lemon juice to taste and stir. As they sip, they add water...stir...and sip...add water...stir and sip. It's very refreshing and a great way to pass a hot afternoon, ala Francais!