I want to make agua fresca de jamaica like the kind they sell on the street, but at home. What's the right proportion of dried hibiscus flowers to water and sugar? I'd like it to have a nice red color and not be too sweet.
For it to turn out right, you need something like a cup of dried hibiscus flowers per liter of water, but honestly the amount really depends on how strong you like it. What's key is letting the flowers steep in hot water for about 10-15 minutes, no more, because if you leave them too long it gets bitter. The intense red color comes more from the quality of the flowers you buy than from any magic with proportions - if you get good-quality flowers, it'll come out well. For sugar, I'd say start with half a cup per liter and then adjust to taste; most people add less than you'd think.
The trick that works is making a concentrated infusion first: you put the flowers in hot water, wait those 10-15 minutes, strain it well and that's it. Then you mix that liquid with cold water (or even with ice if you want) to reach the volume you need, and only then add the sugar. That way you control the flavor and sweetness better without overdoing it. Some people add a bit of lemon at the end, which gives it a fresh kick and helps the color look more vibrant. Try it once and you'll get the hang of it quick - it's not rocket science, it's more about trying and adjusting based on what you get.
The thing is, that intense red color you see in street-vendor hibiscus water sometimes comes more from the type of flower they use than from specific amounts. That said, there's a pretty straightforward ratio that works well: use one cup of dried hibiscus flowers per liter of water as your starting point. What matters is that the flowers be good quality because that really does affect the final color. Boil the water, take it off the heat, add the flowers, and let them steep for 15 to 20 minutes. Don't let them sit much longer than that because the flower will break down and the flavor gets bitter.
Once you've strained the flowers well (run it through twice if you want it crystal clear), taste the water cold and then figure out how much sugar from there. I generally add between three and four tablespoons per liter, but honestly it depends on how sweet you like it. A lot of times the people selling it on the street use less sugar than you'd think, and they rely on the intense flower flavor being enough. My recommendation is that you make a smaller batch first - say half a liter - taste it, adjust the sweetness, and then you'll know exactly how you like it for next time. Serve it really cold and it works perfectly. The color should be a strong red if you use good flowers and let them steep for the right amount of time.
The most important thing is to let the flowers soak in cold water overnight, or at least for 6-8 hours. That way you get all the color and flavor without losing the intensity of the red. Then you strain it, add sugar to taste and you're done. The typical proportion is one cup of dried flowers per liter of water, though if the flowers are good quality and dark, half a cup already gives you a pretty vibrant color.
For the sweetness, start with a little sugar - maybe 50-60 grams per liter - and taste as you go. It's much easier to add than to take away. Some people also add a squeeze of fresh lemon at the end, which brings out the red color and balances the sweetness without needing more sugar. Serve it very cold, with ice.
If the water loses color the next day, it's because the overnight soak wasn't long enough or the flowers you used weren't intense enough. Try to get darker flowers next time, almost black when you hold them up to the light. And keep the container in the fridge; that way it lasts several days without any problem.
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