Black Pepper Free Hibiscus Tea (Agua de Jamaica)
Tart, floral, and brilliantly crimson, this agua de Jamaica is one of those drinks that looks stunning in a glass and tastes even better than it looks. Dried hibiscus flowers steep with a cinnamon stick to create a deeply fragrant concentrate that gets diluted to the perfect refreshing balance. The natural tartness of the hibiscus plays beautifully against the sweetness of the sugar, and a squeeze of lime on the side takes the whole thing to another level. This is naturally one of the easiest recipes to keep free of black pepper ā there's simply no reason for it to ever show up in a traditional agua fresca, and every ingredient here is clean and straightforward. The simmering step draws out every bit of color and flavor from the flowers, so you end up with a concentrate that's rich and almost jewel-like before you even add the cold water. Make a big pitcher and keep it in the fridge, because it disappears fast on a warm afternoon.
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Learn more āIngredients
6 servings
- 1 cup dried hibiscus flowers (flor de jamaica)
- Ā½ cup granulated sugar, or more to taste
- 1 cinnamon stick
For the concentrate
- 4 cups water
For diluting
- 2 cups cold water, for diluting
For serving
- ice, for serving
- lime wedges, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the dried hibiscus flowers, 4 cups water, sugar, and cinnamon stick in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring once or twice until the sugar dissolves.
- 2
Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 8ā10 minutes, until the liquid is deeply colored and fragrant.
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