Blackberry Lemonade Punch Recipe

Take advantage of wild summer blackberries to make this refreshing punch

By author of Timber 2 Table Wild Game Recipes Print Recipe
prep time
15-20
serves
7
ingredients
Easy
difficulty

What’s more refreshing on a hot summer evening than a glass of ice cold, freshly squeezed sparkling lemonade? Not much.

We like to make a big pitcher anytime we have a summer get-together, a crab boil or a backyard barbecue. This time of the year, we kick our basic lemonade recipe up a bit with freshly picked blackberries.

Serve the punch over ice.

If you are serving this punch to all ages, stick with the Sprite. But If you happen to be serving an adult-only crowd, try replacing the Sprite with a bottle of your favorite prosecco or other sparkling wine or Champagne. Or you can stick with the Sprite and add 1 cup of your favorite spirit to the mix. Good ones include silver tequila, vodka, moonshine, or, my favorite, bourbon.

Ingredients

Blackberry Puree

2 cups blackberries, plus a few for garnish

1/2 cup sugar

 

Lemonade

Juice from 10 lemons

2 whole lemons, sliced

10 cups water

Simple syrup (made by heating 1 1/2 cups of water with 1 1/2 cups sugar until sugar has dissolved)

2-liter bottle of Sprite or your favorite lemon-lime soda

 

Add-ins and options: Replace soda with a full bottle of prosecco or other sparkling wine, or

leave the soda in and add 1 cup of your favorite spirit like tequila, vodka or bourbon.

Cooking Instructions

Start by making the simple syrup. In a medium saucepan, heat 1.5 cups of water and 1.5 cups of sugar to a simmer. Stir to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat and let cool completely.

While the simple syrup cools, make the blackberry puree by adding 2 cups of blackberries and 1/2 cup of white sugar to a food processor. Puree until smooth.

Make a blackberry puree with fresh berries and sugar.

Line a wire mesh strainer with cheesecloth and position it over a clean bowl. Pour in the blackberry puree. Use a rubber spatula or the back of a wooden spoon to press the blackberry juice through the cheesecloth and screen, leaving the seeds and pulp behind to discard. Save the blackberry juice.

Press the puree through cheesecloth and a strainer to filter out the blackberry seeds.

Juice 10 lemons, making sure to strain out any seeds. Slice the remaining two lemons into thin slices. Set the slices aside.

Start by squeezing the juice from 10 lemons.

In a large (2 gallon or greater) pitcher, add the lemon juice, simple syrup, blackberry juice, and water. Stir well to blend. This step can be done up to a few days in advance. Just refrigerate the mixture until ready to serve.

Float lemon slices and blackberries on the surface of the punch as garnish.

Just before serving, add the lemon-lime soda, sliced lemons, and a handful of whole blackberries for garnish. You can add up to 3 cups of ice to the mixture without overly diluting the flavor.

 

 

 

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