italian basil lemonade ♥

Here is a great homemade recipe for a refreshing springtime drink with a twist to the old lemondae..its Basil Lemonade! enjoy! :) ♥

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2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice (i used 7 lemons, but they were all pretty juicy. 8-10 is probably a safe average bet)

basil simple syrup, cooled (recipe below)
3 cups of cold or sparkling water
lots of ice (i froze mine with basil leaves and lemon zest inside)
fresh basil leaves and lemon slices for garnish (optional)

mix lemon juice, simple syrup, and water in a pitcher and serve in glasses filled with ice.

basil simple syrup:

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup water
2 cups lightly packed basil
1 tablespoon lemon zest (optional)

combine the water, sugar, and basil in a small saucepan and heat at medium-high until the liquid is clear and sugar granules are no longer visible, about 7 minutes. if using lemon zest, add to the syrup once it's off the heat. allow to cool, then strain out the zest and basil leaves.
 note: this is a tart lemonade, if you prefer a sweeter lemonade, i would increase the sugar in the simple syrup. the recipe also produces a strong lemonade, which is why it is served in glasses with lots of ice.

enjoy!

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