Orange and lime lemonade with mint

This refreshing orange and lime lemonade is made with fresh citrus fruit, mint and sparkling water. The combination of sweet orange, zesty lime and cool mint makes this a pleasant drink for warm days, a barbecue or a festive alcohol-free evening.

Serves: 4
Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooking: 0 minutes
Total time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 oranges
• 2 limes
• 2 tablespoons of caster sugar or runny honey
• 1 small bunch of fresh mint
• 750 ml sparkling water, well chilled
• ice cubes
• optional: 1 small mandarin, for garnish

Preparation

1. Prepare the oranges
   Juice 3 oranges. Slice the fourth orange into thin slices.
2. Prepare the limes
   Juice 1 lime. Slice the second lime into thin slices.
3. Prepare the mint
   Pick the mint leaves from the sprigs. Set aside a few attractive mint sprigs for garnish.

Method

1. Sweeten the orange juice
   Pour the orange juice into a large jug. Add the sugar and stir until it has dissolved completely.
2. Add the honey
   If using honey, first loosen it with 1 tablespoon of lukewarm water or a small splash of orange juice. Then add the honey to the jug.
3. Add the lime juice
   Add about half of the lime juice and taste. Add more lime juice to taste.
4. Add the mint and citrus fruit
   Put the mint leaves in the jug and press them very lightly with the back of a spoon. Add the orange and lime slices just before serving.
5. Add the sparkling water
   Fill the jug with ice cubes. Pour in the well-chilled sparkling water and stir briefly once.
6. Serve
   Serve immediately in glasses with extra ice, a mint sprig and, if desired, a thin slice of mandarin or orange.

Tips

• When using very sweet oranges, start with 1 tablespoon of sugar or honey. Only add more after tasting.
• For a less fizzy, slightly milder lemonade, you can replace 250 ml of sparkling water with cold still water.