Agua de Jamaica (Hibiscus Cooler) with Allspice and Orange
Inspired by techniques from NYT Cooking and America's Test Kitchen.
Rinsed dried hibiscus steeps in the fridge with allspice and orange zest, is strained and diluted, then sweetened and served over ice with lime.
Based on the listed ingredients, none of the 14 major EU allergens. Always check product labels.
Method
- 1
Rinse. Put the hibiscus in the sieve and rinse well under cold water to remove any dust, then drain.
- 2
Steep cold. Tip the flowers into the bowl with the allspice, orange zest and 1 litre cold water. Cover and leave in the fridge for 4-12 hours; the longer it steeps, the deeper and tarter it gets.
- 3
Strain and dilute. Pour through the fine sieve into the pitcher, pressing firmly on the flowers, then discard them. Add the remaining 1 litre cold water.
- 4
Sweeten. Stir the sugar into the hot water until fully dissolved, then add it to the pitcher. Taste and add a little more if you like it sweeter.
- 5
Serve. Pour over ice in tall glasses and add a lime wedge.
Storage
Keeps covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
EU nutrition claims
- Low fat: 0 g fat per 100 ml (limit ≤ 1.5 g)
- Low saturated fat: 0 g saturated fat per 100 ml, 0% of energy (limits ≤ 0.75 g and ≤ 10%)
- Low salt: 0.02 g salt per 100 ml (limit ≤ 0.3 g)
Per 100 ml of the finished dish, worked out from the nutrition per serving and the lowest likely cooked weight (about 141 ml a serving), so the true values are, if anything, lower. Thresholds from the Annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. How we decide
Free sugars
12.5 g per serving
25 % of the 50 g daily maximum · 50 % of the ideal 25 g
Free sugars under 50 g a day, ideally about 25 g, based on WHO free-sugar guidance (not endorsed by WHO). The share shown is the share of one serving. WHO
Equipment
- sieve
- large bowl or jug (at least 2 litres)
- fine sieve
- small jug
- large pitcher
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 49 kcal |
| Protein | 0 g |
| Carbohydrate | 12.6 g |
| of which sugars | 12.5 g |
| of which free sugars | 12.5 g |
| Fat | 0 g |
| of which saturates | 0 g |
| Fibre | 0 g |
| Salt | 0.03 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
0 g High Protein needs ≥ 5 g (20% of energy)
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
