Expert advice for every cook

Classic Lemonade

Name: Classic Lemonade
Total time: 2 h 20 min
Ingredients: 10 - 12 , medium lemons, scrubbed well, halved pole to pole, all halves sliced thin; 1 1/4 cups, granulated sugar; pinch, table salt (optional); 5 cups, water (cold)

Appears in Cook's Illustrated July/August 1998

Put the juicer away. Mashing sliced lemons with sugar gives lemonade a subtle sweetness and full lemon flavor.

YIELD Yields about 1 1/2 quarts, serving 6 to 8

TIME 20 minutes, plus 2 hours chilling

Why This Recipe Works

Print Save

Saved

Gather Your Ingredients

10 - 12 medium lemons, scrubbed well, halved pole to pole, all halves sliced thin

1 ¼ cups granulated sugar

pinch table salt (optional)

5 cups water (cold)

Before You Begin

If you like, scrape the pulp from a couple of mashed lemon slices into the pitcher to make a more pulpy lemonade. Adding one tablespoon of grenadine turns the lemonade pink and imparts extra sweetness.

Instructions

Mash lemons and sugar (and salt, if using) in large, deep bowl or saucepan with potato masher or wooden spoon until lemon slices give up their juice, sugar is dissolved, and juice is thickened to syrup consistency, about 4 minutes. Pour half the lemon slices and syrup through large sieve over bowl or saucepan; press on solids with masher or back of wooden spoon to release as much liquid as possible. Discard solids; transfer liquid to serving pitcher. Repeat process with remaining lemon slices. Stir in water until blended. Chill well and stir to blend before serving, over ice if desired.

Test Kitchen Techniques

0 Comments

Posting Guidelines

FROM OUR TV SPONSORS

We are thankful to the sponsors who make it possible for us to bring you the America's Test Kitchen TV series on public television. Read more about why we have sponsors.

This is a members' feature.