Brewing Hibiscus Iced (and other Hibiscus Recipes for Summer)
While Hibiscus Flowers can certainly be had hot, they also make for a fabulous summer drink served cold or room temperature -- and is a tangy and tart ingredient in all kinds of other recipes.
Alaya's tropical, tart Hibiscus Flowers (also known as the roselle) are regeneratively grown on farms in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, plucked at their peak, dried, and preserved in their natural beauty.
The hibiscus is as beautiful as it is potent. The roselle flowers are high in vitamin C and considered beneficial to fight inflammation with antioxidants. They’ll not only produce a pretty pink cup of tea, but are also said to help flush out toxins from the body (plus, they taste delicious and pack a punch!)
Check out some of our favorite Hibiscus Flowers recipes below:
Hibiscus Granita (full recipe from Bon Appétit's Aliza Abarbanel here):
Combine ¼ cup dried hibiscus flowers, 1” ginger, grated, 2 cups water, 1 Tbsp. honey, and a pinch of salt to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat then reduce heat to maintain a simmer for 5–8 minutes, until the flowers look plump and hydrated. Add 1 tsp. vanilla, ½ tsp. dried Urfa Biber or Aleppo-style pepper, and the juice of half a grapefruit then let the tea sit off heat for another 5 minutes to let the hibiscus steep (or longer if you’d like it even more concentrated). Strain into a 9x7” or 8x8” cold-safe baking dish and taste a small spoonful to ensure it’s hitting the ideal balance of sweet and tart, whisking in more honey or your preferred sweetener if needed. Place in the freezer.
See the full Hibiscus Granita recipe here!
Blueberry Watermelon Hibiscus Ice Pops (full recipe from Cooking LSL here):
INGREDIENTS:
Check out some of our favorite Hibiscus Flowers recipes below:
Hibiscus Granita (full recipe from Bon Appétit's Aliza Abarbanel here):
Combine ¼ cup dried hibiscus flowers, 1” ginger, grated, 2 cups water, 1 Tbsp. honey, and a pinch of salt to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat then reduce heat to maintain a simmer for 5–8 minutes, until the flowers look plump and hydrated. Add 1 tsp. vanilla, ½ tsp. dried Urfa Biber or Aleppo-style pepper, and the juice of half a grapefruit then let the tea sit off heat for another 5 minutes to let the hibiscus steep (or longer if you’d like it even more concentrated). Strain into a 9x7” or 8x8” cold-safe baking dish and taste a small spoonful to ensure it’s hitting the ideal balance of sweet and tart, whisking in more honey or your preferred sweetener if needed. Place in the freezer.
See the full Hibiscus Granita recipe here!
Blueberry Watermelon Hibiscus Ice Pops (full recipe from Cooking LSL here):
INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup dried hibiscus petals
2 1/4 cups chopped watermelon
1/4 cup honey
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup fresh blueberries
8 wooden popsicle sticks — soaked in cold water for 15 minutes
INSTRUCTIONS:
- In a small pot, bring 3/4 cups water and hibiscus petals to a boil. Remove from heat and cover. Let the tea steep for 10 minutes. Strain the petals and let it cool to room temperature.
- In a blender blend watermelon until smooth. Strain though a fine mesh sieve. You should have 1 1/2 cups watermelon juice.
- Combine hibiscus tea. watermelon juice, honey and lemon juice.
- Pour into molds, leaving 1/3 inch on top empty. Add 5-6 blueberries to each mold. Place the lid and insert popsicle sticks.
- Freeze for 6 hours.
- To remove pops from the molds, run under hot water for 30 seconds, then gently pull
Hibiscus Iced Tea (full recipe from The Kitchn here):
We brew Hibiscus Iced Tea over the stovetop with hot water, using just a few flowers, and let it steep for ten minutes. Strain out the flowers, then place in fridge to cool for 2-3 hours. Pour over ice, and pair hibiscus tea with a slice of lemon, or a little sprig of rosemary or thyme for a bit of contrast. Keep a jug of this in the fridge during the summer months, and sip on it daily for a refreshing, healthy iced tea.
Need to re-up on Hibiscus? Shop Alaya's organic, whole Hibiscus Flowers ($16 for 70 grams) here!
Need to re-up on Hibiscus? Shop Alaya's organic, whole Hibiscus Flowers ($16 for 70 grams) here!