Basil Infused Cherry Limeade (Edit recipe)

A refreshing and unique take on cherry limeade. Made with whole and fresh ingredients. Perfect for summer parties and dinners.

10 minutes

15 minutes

Difficulty:

Intermediate

Show nutritional information

This is our estimate based on online research.
Calories:	133
Fat:	1 g
Carbohydrates:	37 g
Protein:	2 g
Cholesterol:	0 g
Sodium:	42 mg
Fiber:	2 g
Sugars:	21 g
Calculated per serving.

by Jessi's Kitchen

View original recipe

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1.5 lb Fresh Cherries, pitted
4 whole Lime Zest
4 whole Lime Juice, juice
0.25 cup fresh Basil, packed
3 Tbsp Honey

Process

Note, these instructions are written assuming the standard serving size, since you have modified the number of servings, these steps may need to be modified for best results

Juicer Instructions: Pit the cherries and run them through the juicer. Pour the juice into a sauce pan and place on medium-high heat.
Zest the limes and add it to the cherry juice mixture. Take the rind off the limes and run the flesh through the juicer.
Add the lime juice to the pot along with the basil and honey. Let it steep for about 15 minutes. It can simmer slightly but I would not recommend a boil.
Take the mixture off the heat and pour through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth. It should be a silky smooth consistency.
Feel free to reserve the basil leaves and put them back in the concentrate for optimal flavor.
Blender Instructions: Pit the cherries and place in your blender. Puree until very smooth. Put the mixture through a fine mesh strainer and get some of the pulp out.
Place the juice in a sauce pan and place on medium-high heat. Zest and juice the limes and add it to the pot.
Then add the basil and honey and let it steep for about 15 minutes. It can simmer slightly but I would not recommend a boil.
Take the mixture off the heat and pour through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth. Feel free to reserve the basil leaves and put them back in the concentrate for optimal flavor.
Assembly: 2+Tablespoons concentrate to 1 Cup sparkling water. You can add more or less to match personal taste. Top with lime and cherries if desired!

Notes

*The lime is also up to personal preference and also size of the fruit. It is possible you will need to add more to taste. **You really can substitute any type of sweetener in this. I tolerate raw honey the best so that is what I chose to do. If you want a lower glycemic load than liquid stevia would be a good option. My cherries were pretty sweet and I didn’t think it required much sweetener but I am pretty sensitive to sweet things. I easily could have gone with less then what I put but I knew I would be serving it to others. I would taste it as you go and decide how much you prefer.