Strawberry-Basil Lemonade

Fresh strawberries and basil turn the drink kids love to make and sell into a sophisticated booze-free refreshment. Add plenty of ice or use an ice ring to keep it cold.

Cuisine: AmericanMain Ingredient: Lemon

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Recipe
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Ingredients

Ready in 30 minutes
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Original recipe makes 8 Servings

For; the strawberry-basil syrup:

1 1/2 cupsgranulated sugar

1 cupwater

1 poundstrawberries; washed, hulled, and sliced 1/2 inch thick

3/4 cuptightly packed basil leaves

For; the lemonade:

8 cupscold water

2 cupslemon juice; chilled

Ice

1/2 poundstrawberries; washed, hulled, and sliced 1/2 inch thick, for garnish

1/4 cuptightly packed; blemish-free basil leaves, for garnish

Strawberry-Basil Lemonade Preparation

For the strawberry-basil syrup:

1. Place the sugar and water in a medium saucepan over high heat and stir until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a boil. Add the strawberries, reduce the heat to medium low, and simmer until the strawberries have softened, about 10 minutes.

2. Remove from the heat, add the basil leaves, and stir to incorporate. Cool to room temperature, about 45 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer set over a medium bowl; discard the solids. Cover the syrup and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the lemonade:

1. Pour the water, lemon juice, and 1 1/2 cups of the strawberry-basil syrup into a 3-quart pitcher or punch bowl and stir to combine. Taste and add additional strawberry-basil syrup as needed. Add ice and garnish with the sliced strawberries and basil leaves.