Dragon fruit lemonade is the perfect drink if you are seeking a refreshing and vibrant beverage that’s both delicious and all-natural. With its stunning pink hue and lemony flavor, this lemonade will please your palate.
Introduction to Dragon Fruit
Dragon fruit, also known as Pitaya or Pitahaya, comes from a cactus and gets its name from the unique scales on its skin. This mild-flavored fruit is often compared to a blend of pear and kiwi. You can find dragon fruit in three colors: two with pink skins and one with yellow skin. In this guide, we will focus on the two pink-skinned varieties, which are perfect for making all-natural pink lemonade.
Option 1: Using Fresh Fruit Skin to Color Dragon Fruit Lemonade
The most common dragon fruit has a striking pink skin and a white interior filled with tiny black seeds. To make pink lemonade, start by thoroughly washing the skin of this variety. Next, simply add the cleaned skin to your lemonade. The longer the skin remains in the lemonade, the more vibrant the color will become. For best results, allow the skin to infuse in the refrigerator for a few hours. Note that while the skin is hardy, the fruit inside may start to break down, so it’s best to add only the skin and save any slices for garnish after the lemonade has turned pink. As a result, this method imparts a beautiful color to your drink without significantly altering the flavor.
Option 2: Using Powder to Color Dragon Fruit Lemonade
Another excellent way to make pink lemonade is by using dragon fruit powder. This powder is derived from pink-skinned dragon fruits with pink flesh. The dragon fruit is typically freeze-dried and then ground into a powder. The result is a vibrant powder that can be hot pink or magenta.
Pink dragon fruit flesh has a more intense flavor than the white variety, but not so intense as to overpower the lemon flavor in lemonade. However, dragon fruit powder does impart a subtle flavor that enhances regular lemonade. If you prefer yours with just a pink color and no added flavor, use option 1, dragon fruit skin, to produce a pretty pink hue.
Dissolving Dragon Fruit Powder in Liquids
Dragon Fruit Powder can clump when added to lemonade. To prevent clumping and undissolved powder from floating to the top, add the simple syrup and the powder to a blender. Then, blend on high speed until fully dissolved.
Shortcut Dragon Fruit Lemonade
You can also substitute premade lemonade, such as Simply Lemonade, for homemade. Then add dragon fruit powder. This is best done by adding the lemonade to a blender and then adding the dragon fruit powder. Blend on high until smooth. If you want less pink lemonade, add less powder; add more for a darker pink color.
Nutritional Benefits
Dragon fruit is not only visually appealing but also packs a nutritional punch, containing fiber, vitamin C, and iron. Additionally, it is low in calories. You can typically find fresh dragon fruit with pink flesh at Asian grocery stores or specialty markets that offer an extensive selection of produce. Additionally, you can buy frozen pink dragon fruit cubes, found in the frozen fruits section or smoothie-making section of your grocer’s freezer. You can also substitute fresh or frozen dragon fruit for the powder in this recipe; however, use a powerful blender that can pulverize the seeds.
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Dragon Fruit Lemonade
Equipment
- blender
- fine wire mesh strainer
Ingredients
Simple Syrup
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups granulated sugar (1 3/4 cups for less sweet lemonade)
- 2 tablespoons dragon fruit powder
Lemonade
- 1 ½ cups fresh squeezed lemon juice (6-8 lemons)
- 6 ¼ cups water (1 1/2 liters or 50 ounces)
Instructions
Simple Syrup
- Add the water and sugar to a pan and heat over medium until the sugar dissolves. Cool for about 20 minutes.
- After cooling, place the simple syrup in a blender and blend on low. Remove the blender's center lid and add the dragon fruit powder. Replace the center lid and blend on high until the powder dissolves and is fully blended into the simple syrup.
Lemonade
- Juice the lemons. Strain the juice through a fine mesh strainer. Push the pulp through with a spoon. Discard the seeds.
- Add the water and lemon juice to a large pitcher.
- Add the simple syrup and stir. Cover and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours, or until chilled. The lemonade will sweeten upon sitting. Stir before serving.