Getting into the Festive Spirit
By Ben Cornwell
The holiday season is upon us. But while it is the most wonderful time of the year, it is also the busiest. With Christmas trees needing to be decorated and piles of presents to wrap, there is plenty to do before the big day. So here are a couple of our favourite seasonal tipples to help you relax over the festive period. Because, after all, Christmas is the time to eat, drink and be merry!
Gingerbread Martini
Enjoy this holiday season with a ‘naughty but nice’, velvety smooth cocktail. Because if you can’t treat yourself at Christmas, when can you?
1 Serving
You will need:
• Ice
• 25ml Vodka
• 25ml Irish Cream Liqueur
• 25ml Coffee Liqueur (optional)
• 2 tbsp homemade gingerbread syrup (see recipe below).
• mini gingerbread men (one or two of these should be crushed with a rolling pin and used to decorate the rim of the cocktail glass)
Mulled Cranberry and Raspberry Christmas Punch
This simple but delicious non-alcoholic Christmas punch is perfect for parties and large gatherings. It is a great alternative for the designated driver and those wanting to warm themselves up with a fruity and light refreshment. Although if you are looking to celebrate the festive season in style, try adding a splash of fruit liqueur or vodka to your punch.
Serves 10
You will need:
• 2 litres of cranberry juice
• 40 grams of golden caster sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2.5 cm (1in) piece fresh root ginger, roughly chopped
• 10 whole cloves
• 200 grams of frozen raspberries
• 2 oranges
• vodka, spirit or fruit liqueur
of your choice (optional)
Method
Pour the cranberry juice into a large pan along with the cinnamon stick, cloves, ginger and sugar. Add the majority of the raspberries into the pan, leaving a few for decoration later. Cut one of the oranges in half and then add both halves to the pan.
Heat the mixture gently on low heat, stirring slowly until the sugar has dissolved. Then simmer for a further 5 minutes or until the raspberries are soft.
Strain through a fine sieve, pressing the raspberries and orange halves gently with the back of a spoon to extract any extra juice.
Return the liquid to the heat and add the spirits or liqueur (if using) and warm through. Slice the remaining orange into thin wedges.
Ladle the warm punch into glasses and decorate each glass with the remaining raspberries and orange wedges.
Method
Start by decorating a martini glass. Lightly coat the rim of the glass in gingerbread syrup and then slowly turn the upturned glass in a small pile of crushed gingerbread.
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the vodka, Irish Cream and the homemade gingerbread syrup. For coffee lovers, add a shot of coffee liqueur to make the cocktail more like a gingerbread espresso martini.
Shake well and strain into a martini glass.
To finish, place a mini gingerbread man in the glass.
Gingerbread Syrup
Gently simmer 120ml water, 100g brown sugar, 4 tbsp black treacle and 1⁄2 tsp each of ground ginger and ground cinnamon in a pan for 15 minutes.
Cool for at least 30 minutes and store in the fridge in an airtight bottle or container.
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