We make this Strawberry Rhubarb Lemonade with the Thermomix® whenever both are in season at the same time. The window is short, at most 4 weeks in May and June. After that, the rhubarb turns woody and the strawberries become too soft.
We use ready-made rhubarb juice rather than fresh rhubarb. There are two reasons for this: first, raw rhubarb is inedible and would need to be cooked, which makes the lemonade cloudy. Second, raw rhubarb contains oxalic acid, which breaks down during cooking with sugar. Ready-made juice is already sweetened and clear.
Strawberry Rhubarb Lemonade with the Thermomix®
Ingredients 0 / 6 ✓
- 300 g strawberries
- 300 g rhubarb juice
- 200 g ice cubes
- 400 g lemon fizzy drink (e.g. lemonade, Sprite or 7Up)
- 4 lemon slices
- 4 sprigs mint
Instructions 0 / 3
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1
Blend the strawberries.
Wash and hull the strawberries, place them in the mixing bowl and blend for 10 sec / speed 10. Then press the puree through a sieve back into the mixing bowl.
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2
Add the ice and juice.
Add the rhubarb juice and ice cubes and blend for 5 sec / speed 8.
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3
Add the lemonade and combine.
Add the lemonade and mix for 5 sec / speed 2. Optionally strain through a fine sieve. Pour into glasses and garnish with lemon slices and mint leaves.
Tip: If you prefer a clear lemonade, strain it through a very fine sieve, a clean kitchen cloth, or a coffee filter before pouring into glasses.
Video
Nutrition per serving
Why we press the strawberries through a sieve
We blend the 300 g of strawberries at speed 10 for 10 seconds. The puree is then pressed through a sieve with a spoon back into the mixing bowl. The sieve catches the small seeds and fibres that would otherwise feel unpleasant on the palate. If the seeds do not bother you, you can skip this step.
Crushing the ice rather than adding whole cubes
We blend the 200 g of ice cubes with the rhubarb juice for 5 seconds at speed 8. This breaks the ice into small splinters that dissolve much faster than whole cubes. At the same time, the lemonade chills immediately. If you add whole ice cubes to the glasses later, the lemonade becomes diluted as they melt.
Lemon fizzy drink as the base
We use 400 g of ready-made lemon fizzy drink. The carbonation adds sparkle, and the citric acid balances the sweetness of the strawberries and rhubarb juice. Sprite or 7Up work equally well. The key point is this: the fizzy drink goes in last and is only briefly stirred in at speed 2. Blending for longer drives out the carbonation.
Clear or cloudy lemonade
The strawberry puree makes the lemonade naturally slightly cloudy, even after pressing it through a sieve. For a completely clear lemonade, pour the finished drink through a very fine sieve, a clean kitchen cloth, or a coffee filter. This takes about 10 minutes and removes some of the colour. We leave ours cloudy because the strawberries stay visible.
How long it keeps and how to store it
The lemonade keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days. After that it goes flat as the carbonation escapes. The strawberries also oxidise quickly and lose their colour. It is best enjoyed straight away, or poured into screw-top bottles and kept chilled. Freezing does not work as the ice drives out the carbonation completely.
Also worth trying: Solero Cocktail with the Thermomix®.
If you are looking for more rhubarb recipes, try our Rhubarb Vanilla Liqueur or Elderflower Syrup for the same season.
