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Glass jug of homemade lemonade with ice, lemon slices and basil next to halved lemons and a jar of honey

Homemade Lemonade with Honey and Basil

One lemon, one litre of water, sugar or honey to taste and a few basil leaves.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings: 4 glasses
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: European
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lemon juiced
  • 1 litre cold water about 4 cups
  • 2-3 tbsp sugar or honey to taste
  • 4-5 fresh basil leaves optional
  • ice to serve

Method
 

  1. Squeeze the lemon. Catch the seeds in a strainer or with your fingers.
  2. In a Thermomix or blender: put the lemon juice, the sugar or honey, the basil leaves and a glass of the water in the bowl and blend for a few seconds, just until the sweetener dissolves and the basil is in small pieces. Add the rest of the water and stir.
  3. In a jug: stir the sugar or honey into a little warm water until it dissolves. Bruise the basil leaves between your fingers or with the back of a spoon so they release their smell. Put everything in the jug with the lemon juice and the rest of the cold water and stir.
  4. Taste, and add a little more lemon or sweetener if you want it sharper or sweeter.
  5. Pour over ice and serve. Strain it first if you don't want bits of basil in the glass.

Notes

Honey dissolves much better in a little warm water than in cold, so dissolve it first and then top up with cold water.
The lemonade keeps in a closed jug in the fridge for a day. The basil gets stronger the longer it sits.