Minted Raspberry Hibiscus Agua Fresca Recipes

Steps:

• Bring hibiscus, sugar, and 8 cups water to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes. If using hibiscus flowers, strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl; discard solids. If using tea bags, discard bags, then transfer mixture to a large bowl. Chill until cold, at least 2 hours. Transfer to a pitcher, pouring slowly so any fine particles remain in bowl. Stir in lemon juice.
• Do Ahead
• Aqua fresca can be stored in an airtight container and chilled for up to 5 days.

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine the mint leaves, sugar and salt, and crush them all together using a fork or the back of a wooden spoon just until the mint is bruised. Pour in the hot water, and stir until the sugar and salt dissolve. Allow the mixture to steep for 5 minutes while you prepare the cucumbers.
• Combine the cucumbers and ginger in a blender. Zest the lime right over the blender, then halve it and squeeze in its juice. Pour in 1 cup room-temperature water and purée on high until smooth. Pour the purée through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing lightly on the solids with a spatula to extract the liquid. Discard the solids and pour the agua fresca into a medium pitcher.
• Pour the mint syrup through the same strainer into a container, pressing on the leaves to extract the liquid. Add ¼ cup strained syrup to the agua fresca. Taste and add more syrup or more lime juice to taste. Cover any leftover syrup and refrigerate for another use.
• Fill glasses with ice, pour in the agua fresca, garnish with mint and serve immediately.

Steps:

• Select 4 tumblers.
• In a saucepan, combine the sugar and ½ cup water.
• Bring to a simmer over med-low heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
• Remove the sugar syrup form the heat and let cool.
• In a blender, combine 18 of the raspberries, the mint leaves, and the sugar syrup and process until a smooth puree forms.
• Strain the puree through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher.
• You should have about 2/3 cup.
• Add 1 1/3 cups water.
• Fill the glasses with ice and divide the raspberry mixture among the glasses.
• Garnish with mint sprigs and remaining raspberries speared on a cocktail pick.
• Serve at once.