Apricot Plum Basil Water: Recipe and How to Make It

Apricot plum basil water is a chilled fruit-and-herb infusion that takes 2 hours 10 minutes to make and yields about 4 cups (950 mL). For another combination, try the ai infused water generator.

What is apricot plum basil water?

Apricot plum basil water is plain water steeped with sliced apricot, plum and fresh basil. The fruit lends a gentle sweetness and tartness, while basil adds a fragrant herbal note. It belongs to the family of stone fruit infused water recipes, which use fruits with a central pit to flavor water.

This recipe is an infusion rather than a juice: the ingredients steep in water and can be strained out before serving. It has a lighter flavor than a blended fruit drink and needs no added sugar.

What ingredients and ratio do you need?

For about 4 cups (950 mL), use:

950 mL (4 cups) drinking water
75 g (about 1/2 cup) sliced fresh apricot, pit removed
75 g (about 1/2 cup) sliced fresh plum, pit removed
5 g (about 1/8 cup or 2 tablespoons lightly packed, or 8–12 leaves) fresh basil

Measure the fruit after removing the pits and slicing it. The combined fruit is about 1 cup, a useful starting ratio for roughly 1 liter of water. Ripe, fragrant fruit gives the infusion more flavor; firm slices are easier to strain and serve.

Use a clean pitcher or jar large enough to hold the water and fruit, with a lid or cover. A fine strainer is helpful if you prefer to serve the water without fruit or herbs.

How do you make apricot plum basil water?

Allow 10 minutes for preparation and at least 2 hours for refrigerated steeping.

Rinse the apricot, plum and basil under cool running water.
Remove the fruit pits and slice the flesh, leaving the skins on.
Place the fruit in a clean pitcher and gently bruise the basil leaves with your fingers before adding them.
Pour in the water, cover the pitcher and refrigerate for 2–4 hours.
Strain if desired and serve chilled.

Taste after 2 hours. If the flavor is too subtle, return the covered pitcher to the refrigerator for more steeping, up to 4 hours for the full flavor suggested here. Straining stops the ingredients from continuing to flavor the water.

Why do apricot, plum and basil pair well?

Apricot contributes a mellow, rounded fruit flavor, similar to the note in apricot infused water. Plum adds a sharper contrast; its skin can give the drink some color, as in plum infused water. The balance depends on the ripeness and variety of the fruit.

Fresh basil brings an aromatic finish without overpowering the fruit when used lightly. Gently bruising the leaves helps release their aroma; for a simpler herbal infusion, see basil water.

The main benefit of apricot plum basil water is that it can make plain water more appealing. Hydration supports normal body functions; the liver and kidneys do most of the body's detoxification, while the lungs and gut also help eliminate waste. Nutrients in whole fruit do not all transfer into steeped water, so the drink should not be treated as nutritionally equivalent to eating the fruit.

How should you store apricot plum basil water?

Keep apricot plum basil water covered and refrigerated, including while it steeps. For the best flavor, drink it within 24 hours. Discard any remaining infusion after 2 days, or sooner if it becomes cloudy, slimy or sour-smelling.

If serving it at a gathering, keep the pitcher chilled rather than leaving it at room temperature for more than a few hours. Use a clean glass or serving utensil each time, and refrigerate any remainder promptly.

How can you vary apricot plum basil water?

Make the fruit flavor softer

Use more apricot and less plum while keeping the total sliced fruit at about 1 cup (150 g). This gives the infusion a gentler fruit profile without changing the water ratio.

Give the plum more prominence

Reverse the fruit proportions for a tarter-tasting batch. Choose ripe plum if you want a fruitier flavor, and leave the skin on for potential color.

Adjust the basil

Use fewer basil leaves for a subtler herb note. If the basil flavor is strong enough before serving, strain it out and refrigerate the water. Make a note of the balance you prefer for the next pitcher.