Christmas Cocktails
The Christmas season will soon be upon us, and we all know that means three things: family, food and festive drinks.
No Christmas is complete without festive cocktails. Most of the focus around this time of year is on the fantastic Christmas food recipes; however, the right cocktail can get everyone into the Christmas spirit. I wanted to introduce you to my favourite gin cocktails that I like to serve over this season, and you can try these at home.
Hot Gin Punch
This is my go-to winter cocktail. I find it great to serve on Christmas Eve. I tend to have a lot of visitors on Christmas Eve, and it will always warm someone up on a cold evening. This recipe will serve between 6 - 10 people.
480ml Lind and Lin gin
480ml sweet Madeira wine
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar (or more if you prefer)
Peel and juice of 1 lemon (or more if you prefer)
Peel and juice of 1 orange
1 pineapple, peeled, cored, and sliced
3 whole cloves, 3 cinnamon sticks
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Put all the ingredients in a medium-sized pan over low heat. Bring to a simmer and cook gently (without boiling) for thirty minutes. Taste and adjust the balance of flavours with more brown sugar or more lemon juice as you prefer. Pour the mixture into a jug, punch bowl or teapot and serve!
French 75
For Christmas morning, I like to serve a French 75 with breakfast. I find all the adults love it, and it is an excellent twist on a Bucks Fizz.
50ml Lind and Lime
30ml Freshly squeezed lemon juice
15ml Sugar syrup
Champagne
Shake the ingredients together and strain into a Champagne flute. Top with your favourite Champagne. Serve with a lemon twist.
Campfire Gin Serve
As the day turns to night and after all the stress of building the gifts, Santa has left. It is a real wow cocktail to end the long day. I enjoy sitting in front of the TV or sitting beside a friendly, warm fire with this cocktail.
50ml Lind and Lime
15ml Smoky Whisky
25ml Toasted marshmallow syrup
15ml Lemon freshly squeezed
Smoking marshmallow to garnish
Serve in a rocks glass, over a large ice cube
Marshmallow Syrup: 1:1 water/sugar, 2 cups of slightly toasted marshmallows, a pinch of salt.
Combine sugar and water in a pot and heat until boiling. Once it dissolves, add the marshmallows until melted into the mix. Let this coll and strain into a container and keep in the fridge. It will last up to one month.
Lind & Lime Negroni
To really get the party going, a Negroni is a good all-rounder, loved by all the family and reminiscent of past holidays abroad.
35ml lind & lime
35ml campari
35ml sweet vermouth, we used cocchi
Combine in a boston shaker with ice until chilled and slightly diluted. strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube.
I hope these inspire you to create some fantastic festive cocktails over Christmas.