This Old-Fashioned Lemon Drink is a versatile and timeless recipe known by many names—Lemon Cordial, Lemon Squash, or Lemonade. Made with fresh lemon juice and zest, it creates a vibrant, tangy concentrate that looks as good as it tastes.
Perfect for serving with chilled sparkling water on warm days or as a soothing hot drink during colder months, this recipe is a nostalgic favourite. The strands of zest in the bottle add a charming, homemade touch to this refreshing treat.
Ingredients
- 1 kg Sugar
- 2 cups Water
- 15g Citric Acid
- 15g Tartaric Acid
- Zest of 3 lemons – this can be finely chopped, in long strands, or even just thinly peeled, avoiding the white pith.
- ½ cup Lemon Juice (about 4-6 lemons)
Tip: do not use an aluminium pot for this.
Method
- Soak the zest in the lemon juice. This will help to soften it.
- Dissolve the sugar, citric acid, and tartaric acid in the water over heat to make a syrup. Allow to cool.
- Add juice and zest to syrup.
- Store in clean bottles, dividing the zest evenly.
This makes about a litre of concentrate.
To serve
Dilute with chilled still or carbonated water to taste.
This also can be served with hot water; it is useful if you have a cold and want a hot lemon drink.
How do you like your lemon drink?
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