Fresh Strawberry Lemonade

Before you start

Strawberry lemonade works best when the berries are puréed and strained rather than muddled or sliced into the pitcher. Purée carries flavor into every sip and gives the drink a soft pink color; straining removes the seeds and the fibrous pulp that would otherwise sink and look murky.

Because strawberries bring their own sugar and some acidity, the lemon juice and syrup sit slightly lower than in a plain lemonade. How much you need depends on the fruit. Deep-red, fragrant summer berries need less syrup; pale winter berries need more, plus a squeeze of extra lemon to wake them up. Blend the berries with a little of the syrup so they break down fully, and taste the finished pitcher before chilling.

Ingredients

• 450 g (about 3 cups) ripe strawberries — hulled
• 150 g (¾ cup) granulated sugar
• 150 ml (⅔ cup) water — for the syrup
• 180 ml (¾ cup) fresh lemon juice — about 4 to 5 lemons
• 900 ml (3¾ cups) cold water
• To serve ice, sliced strawberries and lemon wheels

Method

1. Dissolve the sugar in 150 ml water over medium heat until clear, about 3 minutes. Let the syrup cool for about 30 minutes.
2. Rinse the strawberries, then hull them. Rinsing after hulling lets water into the berries and dilutes their flavor.
3. Blend the strawberries with 60 ml of the cooled syrup on high for about 45 seconds, until completely smooth with no visible chunks.
4. Set the sieve over the pitcher and press the purée through with a spatula. Scrape the underside of the sieve too. Discard the seeds left behind; you should have about 350 ml of purée.
5. Add the lemon juice, the remaining syrup and the cold water. Stir well.
6. Taste and adjust: add lemon if it tastes jammy, syrup if it is sharp, or water if it is too thick.
7. Serve over ice with sliced berries and lemon wheels. Stir before each pour, because the purée settles.

Tips for success

• Smell the strawberries before you buy. Fragrant berries make a vivid drink; odorless ones usually taste watery.
• Frozen strawberries, thawed, purée beautifully and are often riper than out-of-season fresh ones.
• For a clearer drink, let the strained purée sit for 10 minutes and skim off the foam before mixing.

Substitutions

Strawberries

Raspberries make a sharper, more intensely colored lemonade; they need firmer straining because of their seeds. Use the same weight.

Granulated sugar

Agave syrup is about one-third sweeter than sugar syrup; start with two-thirds the amount and adjust.

Still water

Replace half the water with soda water in the glass for a fizzy version. Add it last so it keeps its bubbles.

Variations

Strawberry basil

Blend 6 basil leaves with the berries before straining.

Sparkling strawberry lemonade

Fill glasses halfway with the base and top with chilled soda water.

Troubleshooting

Brownish rather than pink

The berries were underripe or past their best. Use fully red fruit, or add a few raspberries to lift the color.

Thick, pulpy texture

The purée was not strained well. Push it through a fine sieve, or strain the finished lemonade a second time.

Flavor fades after a day

Fresh berry purée oxidizes. Make it the day you serve, or freeze the purée and mix just before serving.

Storage

Refrigerate in a covered pitcher and drink within 2 days; the color dulls and the purée separates over time. Strained purée freezes well for up to 3 months in an airtight container.

Safety notes

This drink uses fresh, unpasteurized lemon juice. Pasteurized juice is the safer choice for young children, older adults, pregnant people and anyone with a weakened immune system.