Photo of Smoky citrus punch by WW

Smoky citrus punch

5
Points® value
Total Time
20 min
Prep
15 min
Cook
5 min
Serves
12
Difficulty
Easy
Brewed yerba mate tea lends a light smoky note to this orange-infused punch. Be sure to seek out tea bags and avoid the canned premade yerba mate teas, which are often loaded with sugar. If you can’t find yerba mate tea bags, you can substitute red rooibos tea, which will also have a subtle smoky taste and will color the punch red. Or go for any of your favorite tea to give the punch your own custom flavor. If you’d like to keep the punch cold, you can make an ice ring to float in in; freeze water in a Bundt pan, adding orange slices, edible flowers, or herbs.

Ingredients

Orange

3 medium, divided

Yerba mate

6 sachet(s), unprepared

Plain or unflavoured seltzer

24 fl oz, tangerine flavour

Turbinado sugar

cup(s)

Water

2 cup(s), boiling

Vodka

2¼ cup(s), chilled (18 fl oz)

Fresh lemon juice

¼ cup(s)

Blood orange

1 medium

Instructions

  1. Using a vegetable peeler, remove rind from 2 navel oranges, avoiding the white pith. Squeeze juice from oranges and set aside. Place rind and sugar in a punch bowl and pound with a muddler or wooden spoon until rind releases its oils and sugar looks like wet sand. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, place tea bags in a medium bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand 10 minutes; remove tea bags. Cool tea for 15 minutes. Pour tea over orange rind mixture. Stir until sugar melts. Using a slotted spoon, remove rind and discard.
  3. Add cold water, seltzer, vodka, and lemon juice to punch bowl. Stir gently to combine. Thinly slice remaining 1 navel orange and blood orange and add slices to punch bowl.
  4. Serving size: about ¾ cup