Vanilla Lemonade

Submitted by KelBel

"While in Hawaii, we went to the Hawaiian Vanilla Company and had lunch. It was served with Vanilla Lemonade. They would not give out the recipe, it was a nice sweet/tart lemonade with vanilla bean seed in it."

 

• Ready In: 20mins
• Ingredients: 6
• Yields: 2 gallons

ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• 1⁄2 cup honey
• 2 cups water, plus more as needed
• 1 vanilla bean
• 2 1⁄2 cups fresh lemon juice (from about 24 lemons)
• lemon wedge, for garnish

directions

1. In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, honey, and 2 cups water and place over medium-high heat.
2. Cut the vanilla bean in 1/2 lengthwise, then, using the back of the knife, scrape the vanilla seeds from the pod and add to the saucepan, along with the pod.
3. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 4 or 5 minutes, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture thickens. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
4. Put the lemon juice into a 2 gallon jug or pitcher. Pour the sugar syrup through a strainer into the pitcher.
5. Add water to equal 2 gallons and stir well.
6. Serve over ice with lemon wheels or wedges.
7. Note: Dry off the vanilla pod and add to sugar for a lovely vanilla sugar.

Reviews

[atlfitgirl]

This lemonade recipe is very similar to the one I have been making for a couple of months from Rachael Ray (Food Network). Her recipe calls for all the exact same ingredients EXCEPT she uses 2 1/2 c of lemon juice and enough water to make 2 gallons of lemonade. Written here as is however, the lemonade will have a weak lemon taste and be overly sweet... This is a delicious lemonade if the sweetener/lemon juice/water are in the right proportions...

 

[Nyteglori]

The vanilla was a good touch, personally though I think the flavor was not worth the expense of a vanilla bean. Next time I will use vanilla extract. I also cut down the amount of sugar, as I don't care for my lemonade to be too sweet.

 

[Food Snob in Israel]

ok, so when I first made this, my husband got VERY VERY sick. And then I realized that this was WAY too strong! I could take 1/2 this mixture and add 1/2 ice cold water and it was the perfect light refreshing drink. I also did not squeeze all the lemons but instead used lemon juice from a bottle. I also used vanilla extract (2 teaspoons) which is what I found to be the proper conversion for a whole vanilla bean. I think I would have liked the bean better. I also did not feel a need to garnish. And I did only 1.5 C sugar. After the further dilution I really REALLY liked this and just kept filling up a waterbottle with the mixture and drinking it all day. Refreshing and kind of savory! Might also be good with some mint in the infusion.