Jamaica Flower Cooler Agua De Jamaica Recipes

Steps:

• Rinse flowers in cold water. In a large saucepan, combine 3 cups water, flowers and lime zest. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes., Remove from heat; let stand 15 minutes. Strain mixture, discarding flowers and zest; transfer to a large bowl. Add sugar and remaining water, stirring until sugar is dissolved. If desired, stir in rum. Refrigerate until cold. Add mint sprigs if desired.

Steps:

• Rinse the flowers in cold water and drain thoroughly. Put them in a saucepan, cover with the water, and let steep for at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the sugar and continue to cook, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved. Let cool to room temperature. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher, pressing the solids with the back of a wooden spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Add water to bring the volume up to 4 cups. If the flavor is too intense, add more water as needed. You can also add a little more sugar if you like.
• Refrigerate until completely chilled. Serve as is or over ice.
• To make a concentrate, double the amount of hibiscus, eliminate the sugar, and cook the mixture down until the liquid is reduced to one-third. This will keep for several weeks in the refrigerator. To make a beverage, simply put about 1/4 cup of the concentrate in a glass, add about 1 cup water, and sweeten with sugar to taste. Feel free to adjust these amounts to fit your taste.

Steps:

• Place 6 cups of water in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Stir in the hibiscus petals, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice. Reduce heat to medium-low, and gently simmer until the water has turned a deep red, 30 to 45 minutes.
• Stir the chopped piloncillo into the hibiscus water until dissolved, then set aside to cool 15 minutes. After cooling, strain the warm liquid into a 1 gallon pitcher through a wire mesh strainer. Squeeze as much liquid from the petals as you can, then discard the petals. Stir in the white sugar until dissolved, then pour in enough cold water to fill the pitcher. Serve immediately or let stand overnight for best taste.

Steps:

• Place the hibiscus in a bowl, rinse thoroughly with cold water, and drain. Cover with 4 cups cold water, add allspice berries, if using, and soak for 4 to 12 hours. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a pitcher, pressing firmly and then discarding solids. Add 4 cups water and then sweeten to taste with sugar or agave syrup.

Steps:

• In a medium (3-quart) stainless or enameled saucepan, bring 1 1/2 quarts of water to a boil. Add the "flowers" and sugar. Stir for a minute or so, while the liquid returns to a boil and the sugar dissolves. Cover and let steep for at least an hour, but no more than 2. Pour the mixture through colander or strainer into a large bowl, pressing on the "flowers" to extract as much liquid as possible. Stir in 3 cups water. This recipe makes a tart version of auga de jamaica; feel free to stir in more sugar, if that appeals to you. Store covered in the refrigerator in a noncorrosive container (preferably one that won't strain).