Homemade Grenadine

Forget the store bought "Grenadine" which equates to sugar and red colouring.  I have the real thing right here!

Grenadine is traditionally made from Pomegranates and gives a dash of sweetness and colour to a cocktail.  Think Tequila Sunrise! In fact I might just have to make one of those once this Grenadine is cooled. (Nobody likes a tepid cocktail!)

There are lots of versions of Grenadine around and after a few hours of research I realised that although a very traditional recipe would be lovely, I just couldn't be arsed juicing Pomegranates. But fortunately somebody else could and so a bottle of POM is the cheats way around a messy crime scene!

I'm also not Mediterranian and so I don't have many of the traditional floral flavours that you find in traditional recipes.  All I could manage was a bottle of Rose Water flavour from the supermarket! 

The recipe I converted comes from Serious Eats (www.seriouseats.com) and it is seriously easy in your Thermomix.

Ingredients

1 473ml bottle POM (Pomegranate juice is apparently a very precise business)

1 & 1/2 cups sugar 

2 tablespoons Molasses

1 tablespoon rose water essence

Directions

Heat juice and sugar for 10 minutes, speed 3 at 95 degrees, without MC.

Add molasses and cook another 2 minutes, speed 3 at 95 degrees, without MC.

Transfer to a jug and allow to cool to room temperature.

Add rose water to cooled mixture and pour into sterilised bottles.

Makes about 600ml, stores in the cupboard for about a month.

Add a splash of vodka to the bottle if you would like a longer shelf life.

This Grenadine has a slightly tangy flavour and is not as red as the store bought stuff.  But it works a treat for Shirley Temples. 

Ginger, Honey & Vanilla Syrup

Its true I am a redhead and I have a special affection for anything Ginger!! Many cocktail recipes call for simple syrup and while anyone can mix sugar with water, sometimes a more complicated syrup is more satisfying.  A bit like a complicated redhead!!

This syrup is largely honey based and I recommend buying good quality local aromatic honey to give this syrup an extra lift.  You can use the syrup in a variety of cocktails as a mixer or as a cordial with a splash of mineral water.  I use it in a special Honey Ginger Beer which I will post here soon.

Ingredients

500ml water

450gm raw sugar

300gm honey

100ml lemon juice

20gm fresh ginger, peeled

1 Tspn vanilla bean paste

Method

Add water, sugar , vanilla paste and honey to your bowl. Mix for 5 minutes on 90 degrees, speed 3.

Once sugar has dissolved, add lemon juice.  Set aside in a jug to cool.

Without washing the bowl, add ginger and mix on speed 7 for 5 seconds.

Add liquid back to bowl and scrape Ginger from the sides.

Pour into sterilised glass bottles and store for up to 3 months out of the fridge.

Enjoy with your favourite Redhead!!!

I'm Dreaming of a Hazelnut Christmas

As promised, I have a cocktail that makes use of last week's delicious White Chocolate Liqueur.

Ingredients

2 parts White Chocolate Liqueur

2 parts Frangelico

1 part Milk

Ice to serve

Strawberries to garnish

Method

Mix liqueur and Frangelico with milk for 10 seconds, speed 4.

Pour over ice and garnish.

Merry Christmas Thermoholics!

White Chocolate Liqueur

I can't ignore it any longer. Christmas is coming and with it, that overwhelming urge to overindulge in good food and booze! Add this to your list of homemade treats and you will be feeling festive in no time.

This creamy, sweet liqueur is perfect over ice or in a very grown up milkshake.

Are you dreaming of a White Christmas? Wipe the drool from your mouth and start sterilising your glass bottles.  This recipe is a little Christmas miracle!



Ingredients
Makes 3 cups

150gm White chocolate

5 tbsp castor sugar

125gm cream

125gm milk

2 tspn Vanilla extract

250gm Vodka

Method

Add chocolate, sugar, cream and milk to bowl

Heat at 70 degrees for 5 minutes on speed 3.5

Add vanilla and vodka to mixture and stir on speed 3 for 5 seconds.

Transfer liqueur to jug and allow to cool to room temp.

Skim off any fat before pouring into a sterilised bottle.

Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

Serve over ice and stay tuned for a festive cocktail.

Iced Espresso Martini

Confession time! Im actually not a big fan of coffee! I wish I was, because well I could use the kick that comes with caffeine, but I just can't get past the taste.  However, add some liquor and I'll make an exception. Every single time!

My very good friend and cocktail taster, Ros has an affinity for coffee and she put me onto the Espresso Martini.  It is 1 part sophisticated coffee culture and 3 parts untidy alcoholic! The exact opposite of Ros (that's what she tells herself!)

Ingredients

8 shots Vodka

4 shots Kahlua

4 shots espresso coffee (I'm reliably informed that the coffee has to be top quality)

1000gm ice

Sugar or syrup to taste.

Optional: You could mix this over milk if your so inclined.

Method

Add ice and alcohol to the bowl and mix on speed 9 for 20 seconds

Add coffee and sweetener to your taste preferences, mix on speed 5 for 10 seconds

Pour into Martini glasses, you could top with a little milk at this point if you prefer.

Rum Punch me in the Face

It's hot!  Stinking, sweaty heat that invades your personal space and drives you to drink. Way to be subtle weather, but you don't need to ask me twice. 

This is not your traditional Caribbean Rum Punch but it will knock you on your arse!

Ingredients

100gm White Rum (I used the new Bundaberg White Rum with pineapple and coconut)

50gm Coconut Rum (Malibu)

50gm Triple Sec (for an orange flavour)

500gm Ice

200gm Frozen fruit (pineapple, melon)

100gm Pineapple Juice

100gm Guava Nectar

Splash of Bitters

200gm Flavoured Mineral Water (I used Schweppes Guava and Pear)

Mint and lemon slices to garnish

Method

Add alcohol, fruit and ice to bowl, mix on speed 9 for 30secobds or until fine.

Add pineapple and guava juice and mix for 15 seconds on speed 5.

Transfer to a serving jug, top up with mineral water and add bitters. 

Garnish with fresh mint and lemon slices.

Take that El Niño! Right in the face!

Cosmopolitan

Today's cocktail is a simple, sophisticated one.  Timeless and classy, it embodies all the things that I am not but I will drink it anyway.  Give me a few and I'll not only be timeless, but I'll be shoeless, pant less and minus my credit card.

Ingredients - serving 4

500gm ice

300gm cranberry juice

60gm vodka

60gm triple sec or grand marnier 

Juice of 1 lime

Method

Add ice and alcohol to bowl

Blitz on speed 7 for 20 seconds, you want some chunks remaining.

Add cranberry juice and lime juice

Mix on speed 5 for 10 seconds

Serve in martini glasses and garnish with lime zest and dried cranberries

Enjoy this one with cheap Chinese food, you won't be disappointed!