Infused water is water that is soaked with various types of fruit and has a delicious taste and health benefits. Keep a pitcher or two of infused water in the refrigerator and you can stay hydrated more easily.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Basic Fruit Recipe
Step 1. Make orange juice
Wash 1-3 oranges per liter of water. Slice into thin balls and soak in cold water for at least three hours. If you want to soak it longer for a stronger flavor, peel the orange peel first to avoid bitterness.
- Check out below for step-by-step instructions for making infused water from a variety of fruits and herbs.
- Try adding cup (60 ml) of mint or basil.
Step 2. Soak the strawberries or raspberries
Use about 1 cup (240 ml) of fruit per liter of water. Fresh berries don't bring out their flavors very well unless they are crushed with a wooden spoon. You can also crush frozen berries to speed up the process. Soak for three hours or so, then strain.
It goes well with the juice of half a lemon
Step 3. Make cucumber water
Slice the cucumber into thin rounds and put it in a pitcher of water. Let it soak overnight, then drink within a day or two.
- Optionally, cut a whole cucumber into two equal parts and remove the seeds before slicing.
- You can amplify the taste with three or four diced lemon or pineapple slices.
Step 4. Mix blackberries and sage
This combination is hard to describe, but it has a delicious taste. Try adding 1 cup (240 ml) of blackberries per liter of water, plus a handful of sage leaves.
Step 5. Soak the apples
Apples and other hard fruits don't give off flavor as quickly as other fruits. Slice very thinly and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. An hour before serving, transfer to room temperature for added flavor.
Part 2 of 3: Flavoring Water with Fruit
Step 1. Select the fruit to use
Follow one of the recipes above, or just pick your favorite fruit. Experiment with fruit counts, but start with a few small fruits per liter of water, or 1-2 cups (240-480 ml) of diced berries or fruit.
Fresh fruit in season has the best taste. Frozen fruit may not look appealing, but may taste better than fresh fruit that is not in season
Step 2. Wash the fruit completely
Rub fresh fruit under cold running water. Since the skin of the fruit will be soaked in water, it is very important to remove any residual contamination from the surface of the skin.
- If you're not using organic fruit, consider peeling the skin off to remove pesticides from the surface.
- This is not necessary for frozen fruit.
Step 3. Slice into thick strips or circles
Fruit that is sliced into a ball will release its juice faster if it is crushed under an ice cube. Thick slices don't release much juice unless you crush the fruit as described below.
- Slice the circles in half for small teapots.
- You don't need to slice berries or diced fruit.
Step 4. Put in cold water
Place the fruit in a pitcher of cold or room temperature water. If you don't like the taste of tap water, use a sieve before adding the fruit.
The hot water will absorb the flavors more quickly, but the fruit will be mushy and some of the nutrients will be destroyed
Step 5. Stir gently (optional)
Crushing the fruit will significantly speed up the absorption process, but the water will turn cloudy. To make the pitcher look more appealing, squeeze the juice out with the handle of a wooden spoon, pressing and turning, but don't let the fruit break completely. Leave the fruit untouched if you can wait a few hours.
- Alternatively, leave the whole fruit pieces in the water for decoration, but squeeze the juice from one fruit for flavor.
- To give a glass of water a taste to drink right away, crush the fruit using a pounding stick.
Step 6. Add a handful of herbs (optional)
Mint and basil are the most common choices, but you can also use rosemary, sage, or other herbs. Wash the leaves, then rub them with both hands to slightly squeeze them before putting them in the water.
You can add dried herbs, but put them in a tea strainer so they don't leave fragments in the drink
Step 7. Add ice (optional)
In addition to cooling the water, ice can fall on fruit that is floating on the surface, and filter some pieces of fruit when pouring it.
Step 8. Wait for a few moments
Chill the water in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours, or up to 12 hours for a stronger taste. To avoid bacteria and unpleasant taste, strain the ingredients after 12 hours and drink within 3 days. Stir before serving.
Water will absorb faster at room temperature, but it will also break down faster. Soak for 1-2 hours, and drink within 4-5 hours afterward
Part 3 of 3: Making Different Variations
Step 1. Mix with tea
Let the fruit soak in the same pitcher as the tea bag or tea strainer. Put it at room temperature, so that the taste of the tea is not too strong. Soak for 1-3 hours, remove the tea, and drink immediately. Try the following recipe, adding a liter of water to:
- A bag of black tea, three mandarin oranges, four basil leaves
- Two green tea bags, mango (sliced), cup (60 ml) strawberries
Step 2. Marinate with spices
Add one cinnamon stick, one tablespoon (15 ml) grated fresh ginger, and/or tsp (1 ml) vanilla. This spice is especially suitable for recipes with a sharp taste. Try these recipes:
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) diced pineapple, orange wedge, 1 tbsp (15 ml) grated ginger
- 1 cup (240 ml) blueberries, tsp (1 ml) vanilla
Step 3. Replace plain water with sparkling water
Make your own soda replacement using less sugar and no artificial sweeteners.
Step 4. Mix in coconut water
Replace of plain water with coconut water. Try soaking with peaches or melons.
You can also use coconut milk, but the thicker the drink the harder it is to balance it with the fruit
Tips
- Large glass jars are cheaper than teapots. Buy some if you want to make different types of infused water.
- Fruit that has been soaked in water will lose most of its flavor, but is still edible.
