When you think of punch, two things usually come to mind. The first is the typical, artificial red drink with only a scarce fraction of actual juice and a boatload of sugar. The other is the alternative to beer served at adult parties, with an indiscernible sweet flavor you can barely make out over the bite of plastic bottle liquor. Believe it or not, punch (originally panch), is the Hindustani word for five. The traditional five ingredient drink contained alcohol, lemon, sugar, water and tea or spices. In anticipation of National Punch day, we decided to explore the world of punch to find our favorite celebratory version for the festive day.

Since National Punch day lands on a Thursday, we decided on a non-alcoholic version so we could get festive and still make it to work on Friday. We wanted to integrate loose leaf tea because, in our opinion, tea makes everything at least a little bit tastier! After taste testing quite a few different tea punches, we landed on this Honey Orange Hibiscus Punch. Not only was it a breeze to make, it was so flavorful and fresh, we knew we couldn’t top it. With a combination of orange blossom honey syrup, fresh orange juice, and hibiscus, this punch is equal parts refreshing and autumnal. We love it! It isn’t too sweet or too tart, and that dash of fizziness from the sparkling water screams party!

We hope you celebrate National Punch Day by trying out this fun recipe! Report your findings in the comments below.

YIELD: Makes 5 to 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

2 cups – boiling water

1/2 cup Organic Hibiscus

1 1/4 cup – Orange Blossom Honey Syrup

1 cup of fresh squeezed orange juice

2 1/2 cups of sparkling water

1 bunch fresh mint leaves

orange peel garnish

ice cubes

For Orange Blossom Honey Syrup:

1 cup – orange blossom honey

1/4 cup – hot water

DIRECTIONS

• Pour boiling water over the hibiscus, cover, and allow to steep for 30 minutes. During this time, make the orange blossom honey syrup. In a saucepan, slowly bring honey and water to a boil. Remove from the heat and let cool. Strain hibiscus into 2-quart pitcher; add the orange blossom honey syrup, orange juice, and cold water; stir.
• Pour 10 ounces of the punch into a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice cubes and 2 to 3 mint leaves; close tightly and shake. Pour and garnish with orange peel and fresh mint leaves. Serve!

You may not know this, but August is National Coffee Month. Our world revolves around coffee and we’re not alone. Whether it’s brewed in a French press, autodrip machine, or espresso maker, your favorite brew is undeniably a centerpiece of life. Coffee brings people together, and for National Coffee Month, we wanted to bring you some recipes to make your get-togethers extra-special!

In celebration, we took it to the next level by freezing, blending, shaking, and mixing our hearts out to bring you these tasty warm weather treats. Here are our favorite concoctions, tested on our guinea pigs (aka employees) for your enjoyment.

For Coffee Buffs:

No-Churn Coffee Fudge Ice Cream

Nothing says summer quite like ice cream, and this no-churn treat is like bringing your local creamery home.

Vietnamese Coffee Popsicles

This treat fuses a strong blast of coffee, creamy sweetened condensed milk, and a velvety vanilla finish.

Dark Moon Cocktail

A coffee cocktail with a bold, heavy body. Brew a big batch and make any occasion more festive!

Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

Coffee is the secret ingredient in this luscious, indulgent treat.

Chocolate Lovers Coffee Shake

A fudgy, creamy dessert (or meal!) – perfect for cheat day

Affogato

This simple 2-ingredient summer treat keeps your taste buds guessing with blasts of creamy, cold gelato and steamy espresso.

For Tea Enthusiasts:

Iced Chai Bubble Tea

We love a little texture in our tea! The tapioca pearls make this spicy, sweet treat one of a kind.

Watermelon Mimosa Green Tea Popsicles

The refreshment of iced green tea meets sweet, juicy watermelon flavor. A sweet, tart way to cool down in the heat!

Jasmine Honey Tea Granita

A simple, flowery homemade dessert with a sweet, refreshing flavor

Tea Sangria

Brew up a tangy, fruity glass of this fresh, warm weather cocktail.

Rum and Lemon Ginger Green Tea

A refreshing, bubbly twist on the traditional Dark and Stormy

Hot Fudge Pudding Cake. What more could we possibly say? This incredibly tasty recipe was prepared by our resident programmer’s extremely thoughtful mother, Ellen. It’s a simple, low-effort desert featuring a rich chocolate fudge sauce that forms during the baking process. WARNING: do not taste test as you will end up with chocolate sauce all over your face. If you’re like us, you might also end up without any cake left. Serve with some ice cream for a nice balance of cold dessert and warm cake! Now, let’s get down to business.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups of brewed coffee, cold (our Grandfather’s Blend works great, but you can use whatever you prefer.)
• 6 tablespoons of butter, extra for greasing the cake pan
• 1/3 cup of chocolate chips (chopped semi-sweet chocolate also works)
• 2/3 cup of cocoa powder, divided
• 1 cup of white sugar, divided
• ¾ cup of flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla
• 1/3 cup milk (preferable whole milk)
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/3 cup of brown sugar

Directions:

• Heat your oven to 325 degrees, and take an 8 inch square or round cake pan that is at least 1 ½ to 2 inches deep and grease it with butter. Combine the 6 tablespoons of butter, chocolate chips, 1/3 cup of cocoa in a double boiler over simmering water. Melt them together. Watch it carefully and stir frequently until combined. Remove from heat (alternatively, this can be done in a microwave on half power. Again, watch carefully and stir frequently.)
• Whisk together 2/3 cup of white sugar, vanilla and milk. Add egg yolk and whisk it to combine. Add this mixture to the melted chocolate and whisk together. Add flour and baking powder. Stir to combine. Pour this mixture into the cake pan and spread evenly. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/3 cup of cocoa, remaining 1/3 cup of white sugar, and brown sugar, breaking up any clumps with your fingers. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the cake batter in your pan. Do not stir.
• Pour the coffee over the cocoa/sugar mixture. Do not stir. Bake until the cake is puffed and bubbling and just beginning to pull away from sides the sides of the cake pan, about 35-45 minutes.
• Cool for at least 15 minutes before spooning into bowls to serve.
• Magically, there will be a nice chocolate cake on top of a rich pudding sauce underneath! Make sure to store at room temperature.

This is not an elegant cake, frankly it looks like a mess. But it’s a mess of chocolate that you can eat, and you bet it is delicious. In our opinion it’s one of the easiest most impressive desserts you’ll ever make. Enjoy and let us know in the comments below how it turned out!