Best Jamaica Flower Water Recipes

AGUA DE JAMAICA (HIBISCUS WATER)

Steps:

• Place 6 cups of water in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Stir in the hibiscus petals, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice. Reduce heat to medium-low, and gently simmer until the water has turned a deep red, 30 to 45 minutes.
• Stir the chopped piloncillo into the hibiscus water until dissolved, then set aside to cool 15 minutes. After cooling, strain the warm liquid into a 1 gallon pitcher through a wire mesh strainer. Squeeze as much liquid from the petals as you can, then discard the petals. Stir in the white sugar until dissolved, then pour in enough cold water to fill the pitcher. Serve immediately or let stand overnight for best taste.

AGUA DE JAMAICA

Steps:

• Rinse the flowers in cold water and drain thoroughly. Put them in a saucepan, cover with the water, and let steep for at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the sugar and continue to cook, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved. Let cool to room temperature. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher, pressing the solids with the back of a wooden spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Add water to bring the volume up to 4 cups. If the flavor is too intense, add more water as needed. You can also add a little more sugar if you like.
• Refrigerate until completely chilled. Serve as is or over ice.
• To make a concentrate, double the amount of hibiscus, eliminate the sugar, and cook the mixture down until the liquid is reduced to one-third. This will keep for several weeks in the refrigerator. To make a beverage, simply put about 1/4 cup of the concentrate in a glass, add about 1 cup water, and sweeten with sugar to taste. Feel free to adjust these amounts to fit your taste.

JAMAICA FLOWER WATER

Steps:

• Bring the water to a boil. Add the flowers and return to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook 10 minutes. Stir in the sugar or honey, strain into a pitcher and refrigerate. Serve cold over ice with slices of orange as garnish.