Lemonade with lemons is a real classic. In recent years, other variants have also become popular soft drinks. The lavender lemonade not only keeps you pleasantly cool on hot summer days, but also has a calming effect and promotes the digestive system. We offer you refreshing recipes and various healthy combinations with honey and lemon. Find out how to prepare the lavender syrup yourself and what else you can use it for. We will also tell you which alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails taste particularly good with the lemonade. Invite friends over for cake and surprise them with a summer drink. You can also serve the lemonade for a child's birthday party.
Here's how you can make lavender lemonade at home
Thefirst recipeis an absolute must in the high summer temperatures: a homemade lemonade with an intense herbal taste and a refreshing note of lemon. The organic drink is sweetened with a little honey. Perfect for anyone who wants to eat a balanced, low-calorie diet. The lemonade hydrates the body on hot days.
First you need to prepare a syrup, which you can then dilute with still water or with splash water. You can store the syrup open in the refrigerator for a week. Otherwise, you have the option of cooking more syrup, filling it into boiled bottles and sealing them. Then store the bottles in a dark, cool place for up to a year.
The necessary ingredients for 40 ml of syrup:
- 3 lemons
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2-3 tbsp dried lavender flowers or 2-3 lavender sprigs with flowers
- Honig
Preparation:
Wash the lavender branches and pat dry, then carefully remove the flowers and shake dry again if necessary.
Put approx. 1/2 liter of water, the sugar, the lemon peel and the dried lavender flowers in a pot and bring to the boil. Immediately after the water boils, reduce the heat. Let the liquid simmer for another 10-15 minutes until a syrup forms. Then remove the pot from the heat and let it cool to room temperature.
Then wash the lemons thoroughly (since you will also be using the lemon peels in the recipe, it is best to buy organic lemons). Peel two of the three lemons and squeeze out the juice. Cut the third into thin slices. Reserve the zest of half a lemon.
Then add the honey, lemon peel and lemon juice to the syrup and let it steep for 15 minutes at room temperature. Then pour through a sieve and remove the lavender flowers and lemon peel.
This is how you make the syrup last for a year
If you want to store syrup and use it later when needed, you can store it in bottles with sealable lids. Buy lids without rubber parts. Simply place the bottles in boiling water for 15 minutes and then in an oven preheated to 120 degrees for another 15 minutes. Then pour the hot syrup into the bottles and close them. Allow to cool and store in a dark and cool place. You just need to keep already opened bottles in the fridge.
In order to prepare the delicious and refreshing lavender lemonade, you must dilute the cooled syrup with mineral water. If you wish, you can add ice cubes to the glasses and decorate them with washed lavender flowers and lemon slices.
Lavender lemonade as an ingredient in cocktails and sorbets
The special lemonade tastes so wonderful that it has become a popular ingredient in many summer cocktails. We give you some examples of what you can flavor with the drink.
1. Lavender lemonade sorbet. Prepare the syrup as usual and put it in the freezer for 4-5 hours. You have to stir the syrup every hour. The delicious dessert is the perfect end to every family celebration and every barbecue evening with friends.
2. If you are planning a children's party, then you can dilute the syrup not with splash water, but with Sprite.
3. If you have invited friends, you can add vodka to the lemonade with sparkling water. Our tip: Prepare the cocktails 30 minutes before the guests arrive and keep them in the fridge.
4. Mojito cocktails with lavender lemonade. Prepare the lemonade with still water. Fill mojito glasses with ice cubes and lemonade and add white rum. Decorate the alcoholic cocktail with fresh mint leaves. You can also prepare the drink before the party and then take it with you as a souvenir.
5. Sparkling cocktails with lavender and rosé wine. Simply mix 240 ml of wine with 120 ml of lavender lemonade and 60 ml of splash water in a jug, add ice cubes and place on the buffet. It's the perfect drink if you've invited lots of friends over. This allows guests to get to know each other better during informal conversations at the buffet.
6. Cocktails with blueberries and vodka. You don't need any syrup for this recipe. You can simply put dry lavender flowers in a cup and pour hot water over them. Let the flowers steep for 5 minutes and pour the liquid through a fine sieve. Allow the drink to cool to room temperature. In a drink blender, add 15 blueberries (washed), agave syrup or honey and vodka. Close the blender and shake vigorously with your hands.
Whether you want to flavor cocktails with lavender lemonade or serve it as a refreshing non-alcoholic drink, we definitely recommend tasting the lemonade first. If it is too sweet, you can dilute it with water. So that the lavender note comes into its own, you should sweeten the lemonade sparingly. When it comes to lemon juice, the rule of thumb also applies: it's better to use less than too much.
Other drinks for which you can use lavender flower syrup:can be found here.
