WThis is a home-style take on a beverage featured on the seasonal drinks list. It's a party-sized premix that is bursting full of tastes of a Christmas time, making it excellent for a festive gathering. Save the extra citrus syrup you can use for morning drinks, sweets, or to make more rounds of bikinis.
The Bikini Cocktail
Yields 10 guests
Ingredients for the Clementine Syrup (yields 750ml)
300ml fresh clementine juice
200ml recently pressed lemon juice
500g fine sugar
To make the Cocktail (makes 850ml, to serve 10)
400ml decent vodka
100ml classic gin
150ml peach-flavored liqueur
200ml clementine cordial (as made above)
A few cranberries, to garnish
Mandarin essential oil, for finishing
Directions
For the Cordial: Put all the components inside a saucepan, bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve. Next, turn off the heat and leave to cool down fully. Pour into an sterilised bottle, seal and refrigerate it chilled, it can be stored for around one month.
For the Cocktail Base: Combine the specified spirits and syrup into a sizeable container, leave to sit for one hour, then pass it through best through cheesecloth, to ensure it's fully clarified.
For serving: Measure 85ml of your batch mix to a mixing glass packed with ice, and agitate lightly for a minute until cold. Filter into an chilled martini glass or a similar vessel, top with a few cranberries adding the final touch by giving it a quick spritz with the mandarin essence over the drink.
