Description
Refreshing hibiscus watermelon agua fresca blends Mexican traditions with summer coolness. Sweet and tart notes create a perfect thirst-quenching drink to enjoy with friends.
Ingredients
Scale
- 5 cups (1.18 L/1180 mL) seedless watermelon, chopped
- ½ cup (14 g) hibiscus flowers, dried
- 3 tbsps (37.5 g) sugar
- 3 tbsps (45 mL) lime juice, fresh
- 1 cup (237 mL) water, filtered
- 3 cups (710 mL) water, filtered
Instructions
- Syrup Preparation: Dissolve sugar in water over gentle heat, creating a clear, smooth syrup while stirring constantly until sugar crystals completely disappear.
- Hibiscus Infusion: Remove syrup from heat and steep dried hibiscus flowers for 10 minutes, allowing the petals to release their vibrant, tangy flavor profile.
- Liquid Refinement: Strain the hibiscus-infused syrup through a fine mesh strainer, capturing only the rich, crimson liquid while discarding the spent flowers.
- Watermelon Processing: Puree ripe watermelon chunks in a high-powered blender, adding filtered water to achieve a silky, pourable consistency.
- Juice Clarification: Filter the watermelon puree through a fine mesh sieve to eliminate pulp and ensure a smooth, refined texture.
- Flavor Fusion: Merge the strained watermelon juice with the cooled hibiscus syrup in a large pitcher, incorporating additional water to balance the intensity.
- Flavor Balancing: Introduce freshly squeezed lime juice, adjusting to create a harmonious blend of sweet, tart, and refreshing notes.
- Chilling and Serving: Refrigerate the agua fresca thoroughly, allowing the flavors to meld and develop before serving over ice for a crisp, revitalizing beverage.
Notes
- Infuse with Precision: Let hibiscus flowers steep exactly 10 minutes to extract maximum flavor without turning bitter.
- Strain Carefully: Use a fine mesh sieve to remove flower remnants and ensure a smooth, silky texture in your drink.
- Balance Flavor Masterfully: Adjust lime juice gradually to achieve the perfect sweet-tart harmony that makes this agua fresca exceptional.
- Chill for Optimal Taste: Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to meld and develop a more complex, refreshing profile.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Drinks, Snacks
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 50
- Sugar: 9.5 g
- Sodium: 0 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg