Agua de Jamaica (Mexican Hibiscus Cooler)

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

The deep ruby agua fresca poured from glass barrels at taquerias all over Mexico — tart, floral dried hibiscus steeped with cinnamon and orange peel, sweetened with piloncillo and cut with cold water. The trick is a short off-heat steep instead of a hard boil: you get all the color and bright cranberry-like tartness without the tannic, stewed bitterness. Make it as a concentrate and dilute to taste right before serving.

Ingredients

• 4 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups dried hibiscus flowers (flor de jamaica), loosely packed (about 1 1/2 oz)
• 6 oz piloncillo, chopped, or 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 stick Mexican cinnamon (canela), 3 inches
• 2 strips orange peel, 2 inches each, no white pith
• 1 pinch kosher salt

• 4 cups cold water, plus more to taste
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• Ice, for serving
• 1 lime, sliced into thin wheels
• 1 small handful fresh mint sprigs (optional)

Instructions

1. Put the dried hibiscus in a colander and rinse briefly under cool running water, tossing with your fingers for about 15 seconds, to wash off field dust and any grit. Drain well.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine 4 cups water, the chopped piloncillo, cinnamon stick, orange peel strips, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, and cook 2 to 3 minutes until the piloncillo is fully dissolved.
3. Turn off the heat and immediately stir in the rinsed hibiscus, pressing the flowers down so they are submerged. Cover and steep off the heat for 20 minutes — no longer than 30, or the brew turns tannic and bitter. The liquid will look almost black and opaque; that's correct.
4. Strain the concentrate through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher or bowl, pressing gently on the flowers with the back of a spoon to release the last of the liquid. Do not squeeze hard or wring them out. Discard the solids (or see tips).
5. Stir 4 cups cold water and the lime juice into the concentrate. Taste: it should be assertively tart with a clean sweet finish, like unsweetened cranberry that's been tamed. Add cold water 1/4 cup at a time if it's too intense, or a tablespoon of sugar dissolved in a splash of hot water if it needs more sweetness.
6. Chill at least 2 hours, or until very cold, ideally overnight — the flavor rounds out and the cinnamon comes forward. Serve over plenty of ice in tall glasses with a lime wheel and a mint sprig. Stir the pitcher before each pour.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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