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Brazilian limeade

Whole limes, skin and all, blended for a few seconds with cold water and sugar, then strained and poured over ice. In Brazil it is called limonada suíça: sharp, fragrant and very refreshing.

AI-generated photograph: A frosted tumbler of pale green limeade over crushed ice, a fine froth on top and a thin lime wedge on the rim
  • 10 minutes
  • Serves 4

Our own recipe. The photograph is AI-generated.

  • Vegan
  • Vegetarian
  • Gluten free
  • Dairy free

Ingredients

  • 4 limes, washed well
  • 4 tablespoons caster sugar, or to taste

Let's cook

  1. Cut the ends off each lime, then cut each one into 8 wedges.
  2. Put the lime wedges in a blender with 1 litre cold water and the sugar.
  3. Pulse in 4 or 5 short bursts, about 10 seconds in all. Do not blend longer: the white pith under the skin turns the drink bitter if it is crushed too much.
  4. Pour it straight away through a fine sieve into a jug, pressing the pulp with a spoon. Throw away the pulp.
  5. Stir, taste and add a little more sugar if you like. Pour over plenty of ice and drink within 30 minutes, as it grows bitter the longer it stands.

Tips

  • Choose limes with thin, smooth, shiny skins: they are juicier and less bitter.
  • Scrub the limes well, as the skin goes into the drink.
  • Chill the water first so the drink is cold without melting all the ice.

Swaps

  • Creamy, as many Brazilians make it: blend in 4 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk; it then contains milk and is not vegan. Sweetened condensed coconut milk keeps it vegan.
  • Less sweet: start with 2 tablespoons sugar and add more to taste.
  • Minty: add a few mint leaves to the blender.

Tags

In Plant powered.

None of the 14 allergens is in this recipe as written.

Check every packet for allergens.

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