Hibiscus is known by many names, including bissap and karkadé. Its bold colour and tart flavour are particularly valued in West African drinks and can also transform syrups, jams and desserts. Here are recipes inspired by the original Chabiothé collection.
Hibiscus drink recipes
Hibiscus infusion
Ingredients: 4 tbsp dried organic hibiscus and 1 litre water.
Place the flowers in cold water in a saucepan and warm gently. When the water approaches a simmer, turn off the heat, cover and steep for 10 minutes. Strain. Drink warm or refrigerate promptly for a refreshing cold infusion. Mint, lemon or rosemary can be added to taste.
Traditional cold bissap
Ingredients: a handful of dried hibiscus, a few mint leaves, dried lemongrass, 1 crumbled cinnamon stick and 1 litre water.
Place the hibiscus in cold water, cover and steep in the fridge for 8–12 hours or overnight. Add the mint, lemongrass and cinnamon to taste. Strain and sweeten if desired. Nutmeg, orange blossom water or a little lime can also make interesting variations. Serve well chilled.
Homemade hibiscus syrup
Ingredients: 1 generous handful dried hibiscus, 2 cups water, 240 g sugar and 15 ml lemon juice.
Heat the water, sugar and flowers together until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat, add the lemon juice and leave for approximately 30 minutes. Strain into a clean container and refrigerate. Dilute with water or sparkling water before serving.
Hibiscus desserts and sweet treats
Hibiscus ice lollies
Ingredients: 50 g dried hibiscus, water and 220 g caster sugar, plus lolly moulds and sticks. Note: the original French recipe specifies “900 cl” of water, a likely unit error. Verify the intended quantity before preparing it; 900 cl equals 9 litres, not 900 ml.
Bring the water to the boil, remove from the heat and steep the flowers covered for 20 minutes. Strain, dissolve the sugar in the infusion, pour into moulds and freeze until firm, approximately 3 hours or longer depending on your freezer.
Strawberry and hibiscus jam
Ingredients: 100 g dried hibiscus, 3 kg hulled strawberries, 600 g brown sugar, 500 ml water, vanilla (a pod or 1 tbsp extract), 1 tbsp rum and ½ tsp ground cinnamon.
Prepare a strong hibiscus infusion and strain. Heat the strawberries with the water, sugar and infusion, simmering for around an hour. Add vanilla, cinnamon and rum and cook for about 30 minutes more, until the mixture reaches the desired setting point. Fill suitably sterilised jars and follow a tested jam-preserving method; merely inverting hot jars is not a reliable guarantee of safe long-term storage.
Creamy hibiscus dessert
Ingredients: 10 g dried hibiscus, 500 ml whole milk, 80 g sugar, 25 g cornflour and 20 g unsalted butter.
Steep the hibiscus in the milk in the fridge overnight, then strain. Whisk the sugar and cornflour into the cold infused milk. Heat gently, stirring until thickened, then remove from the heat and whisk in the butter. Divide between serving glasses and chill for at least 2 hours.
More ways to use hibiscus
Experiment with fresh mint, ginger, cinnamon, lime or orange blossom. Hibiscus brings bright colour and acidity to a wide variety of sweet recipes. Explore our other hibiscus articles for its origins and historical cosmetic uses.
Original recipe measurements and step-by-step methods
Simple hot hibiscus infusion
Ingredients: four tablespoons of dried organic hibiscus flowers and one litre of water. Place the flowers in cold water and heat until the water begins to simmer. Turn off the heat, cover the pan, and let the flowers steep for about ten minutes. Strain carefully. Serve the ruby-coloured infusion hot or chilled, and add fresh mint or lemon if you enjoy a livelier taste. Prepare fresh batches and refrigerate any leftovers promptly.
Traditional-style cold bissap
Ingredients: a generous handful of dried hibiscus, a few mint leaves, dried lemongrass, one crumbled cinnamon stick and one litre of water. Steep the hibiscus in cold drinking water in the refrigerator overnight, around eight to twelve hours, then strain. Add the mint, lemongrass and cinnamon according to taste. The original recipe also suggests nutmeg, orange-blossom water or sweetness if desired. Serve thoroughly chilled. If adding sugar or syrup, adjust the amount to taste rather than assuming the drink is naturally low in sugar.
Hibiscus syrup
Ingredients: a large handful of hibiscus flowers, two cups of water, 240 g of sugar and 15 ml of lemon juice. Heat the flowers, sugar and water together until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat, add the lemon juice and leave for about thirty minutes, then strain. Pour into a clean container, refrigerate and dilute to taste when serving.
Hibiscus ice pops
Ingredients from the French recipe: 50 g of flowers, 220 g of sugar and water, plus ice-pop moulds and sticks. Steep the flowers off the heat in hot water for twenty minutes, covered. Strain, add the sugar and mix until dissolved. Pour into suitable moulds, insert the sticks and freeze until set, generally several hours. Note: the French source prints “900 cl” of water, an unusually large amount for this quantity of ingredients; this apparent unit error should be checked against the original recipe before fixing an exact volume.
Strawberry and hibiscus jam
Ingredients: 100 g dried hibiscus flowers, 3 kg hulled strawberries, 600 g brown sugar, 500 ml water, one vanilla pod (or a tablespoon of vanilla flavouring), one tablespoon rum and half a teaspoon ground cinnamon. Prepare a hibiscus infusion, then combine the infusion with the strawberries, water and sugar. Simmer gently for about an hour, add the vanilla and cinnamon (and rum if used), and continue for about thirty minutes. The original page describes filling prepared jars. For shelf-stable preserves, use a tested food-preservation recipe: jar inversion and a quick boil alone do not establish safe storage.
Hibiscus milk dessert
Ingredients: 10 g dried hibiscus, 500 ml whole milk, 80 g sugar, 25 g cornflour and 20 g unsalted butter. Infuse the dried flowers in the milk overnight in the refrigerator. The next day, strain them out; combine the cold flavoured milk with the sugar and cornflour, then heat gently until thick. Off the heat, whisk in the butter. Divide among small dessert glasses and chill for at least two hours. The French source calls this a mousse, although the method produces a thickened, creamy dessert rather than a whipped foam.