Floral, sparkling lemonade with blackberry-lavender syrup, lemon juice and club soda—cool and refreshing for summer.
# What You Need:
→ Blackberry Lavender Syrup
01 - 1 cup fresh blackberries
02 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/2 cup water
04 - 1 tablespoon dried culinary lavender
→ Lemonade Base
05 - 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 4–5 lemons)
06 - 2 cups cold water
→ To Serve
07 - 2 cups club soda or sparkling water, chilled
08 - Ice cubes
09 - Lemon slices, optional
10 - Fresh blackberries, optional
11 - Lavender sprigs, optional
# Steps:
01 - Combine the blackberries, granulated sugar, water and dried lavender in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar and break down the berries. Maintain a low simmer for 5–7 minutes until berries soften and the liquid is fragrant, then remove from heat and allow the mixture to steep for 5 minutes.
02 - Press the cooked mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl or measuring cup, using the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids, transfer the syrup to the refrigerator and chill until completely cool.
03 - In a pitcher, combine the freshly squeezed lemon juice with the cold water and stir until homogenous. Taste and adjust acidity by adding a little more water if necessary.
04 - Stir the cooled blackberry lavender syrup into the lemonade base until evenly incorporated. Adjust sweetness to taste by adding more syrup if desired.
05 - Divide ice among four glasses. Pour the blackberry lavender lemonade evenly into each glass, filling about two-thirds full. Top each glass with chilled club soda or sparkling water and stir gently to combine.
06 - Garnish with lemon slices, a few fresh blackberries and a sprig of lavender if desired. Serve immediately to preserve effervescence.
