Cooking with Kids: How to make tasty lemonade at home in just 15 minutes

"Washing and mashing raspberries, then pressing them through a sieve is a fun and messy task for young children to tackle when making pink lemonade."

Pic: iStock

Summer drinks are a good way to try new flavours and have a chat with children about new tastes.

Fresh mint has such a strong smell, children are usually fascinated when you ask them to crush a leaf in their hand and smell it.

Adding one or two leaves into a glass of lemonade is a good way to introduce this strong ingredient.

Washing and mashing raspberries, then pressing them through a sieve is a fun and messy task for young children to tackle when making the pink lemonade.

I often bring all of the equipment outside and we get the job done on the grass. If the lemons are cut first, children can then help with the squeezing.

You may need to re-squeeze to get all of the juice out, but at least they are learning the motion and feeling like they are contributing.

I usually use half orange and half lemon in my standard lemonade, as using the sweet oranges helps to reduce the sugar content.

Maple syrup can be used instead of the sugar syrup if you wish.

Homemade Lemonade

recipe by:Michelle Darmody

The classic summer thirst-quencher.

Servings

8

Preparation Time

 17 mins

Total Time

 17 mins

Course

 Dessert

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp caster sugar

• 30 ml boiling water

• 2 oranges, cut in half

• 2 lemons, cut in half

• 1 ltr cold water

Method

1. Put the sugar into a cup or a small jug. Boil some water in a kettle and take care pouring 30ml over the sugar. Carefully stir to help the sugar dissolve. Leave it to sit while you squeeze your fruit.

2. When you are squeezing oranges and lemons press them onto the squeezer and turn the fruit in both directions. After a few moments the juice should start to drip out. An adult can help you press them down harder if this is a bit difficult.

3. Pour all the juice into a big jug. Add 1 litre of cold water and then stir in your sugar syrup. The lemonade is ready to drink.

Pink Lemonade

recipe by:Michelle Darmody

The sweetness of lemon meets the tartness of raspberry in an all-time classic.

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Total Time

 15 mins

Course

 Dessert

Cuisine

 8

Ingredients

• 150g ripe raspberries

• 1½ tbsp caster sugar

• 25ml hot water

• 2 lemons, cut in half

• 1 orange, cut in half

Method

1. Wash the raspberries and put them onto a big plate. Mash the raspberries with a fork until they are really mushy. Place a sieve over a large bowl and scoop the raspberry mixture into it. Use a wooden spoon and press it through so that a thick juice drops through. What is left behind is called pulp.

2. Put the sugar into a cup or a small jug. Heat some water in a kettle and pour it over the sugar. Carefully stir it to help the sugar to dissolve . Leave it aside while you squeeze your fruit.

3. Use a hand squeezer and press the lemon halves onto it one by one. Press down and turn them so that the juice drops out. Do the same with the orange. Pour this juice and the raspberry juice into a big jug. Add the sugar syrup and then fill the jug with about a litre of cold water and some ice.

Activity: Flower petal ice cubes

Many supermarkets and fruit and vegetable shops sell edible flowers. You can also grow some in flowerpots or in a garden. 

Some edible flowers include orange marigold petals, blue borage blossoms, yellow flowers from rocket, and nasturtium flowers. 

Herbs also work well in ice cubes. You can add small mint leaves, the tiny purple flowers from a thyme plant or the feathery green tips from some fennel. 

Sprinkle the flower petals and leaves into an ice tray. Gently fill it with water. It might be best to use a jug as the tap might turn on too strong and splash the petals about. 

Carefully carry the ice tray to the freezer and leave it there until it is frozen.