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Martini time recipe roundup

June 19, 2023

Basil-infused gin martini

Known as James Bond’s signature drink, we’ve given the martini a modern twist with a fragrant basil-infused syrup. The syrup can be prepared in advance and stored in the fridge until you need it.

INGREDIENTS

BASIL SYRUP

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 cup basil

MARTINI

2 cups gin
1/2 cup dry vermouth
3/4 cup basil syrup
Handful fresh basil leaves
Strips of fresh lemon zest

METHOD

BASIL SYRUP

ADD water, sugar and basil to a pot over medium heat. Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat. Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes. Once cool, blend the syrup and pass it through a fine sieve.

MARTINI

COMBINE the gin, vermouth and basil syrup in a cocktail shaker along with a few ice cubes. Shake well to chill.

STRAIN the cocktail into 8 chilled Martini glasses. Garnish with a few fresh basil leaves and a few strips of citrus zest to serve.

FOOD TEAM TIP: Because martinis aren’t served with ice, it’s important to pre-chill your serving glasses. This will keep the drinks crisp and cold for longer.

Carrot cake martini

We’ve teamed up with award-winning South African mixologist, Owen O’Reilly, to bring you this Easter-inspired carrot cake martini.

INGREDIENTS

40ml gin
10ml tawny Port
35ml fresh carrot juice
15ml carrot cake syrup (recipe here)
1 bar spoon mascarpone
1 bar spoon of whole/crushed pecan nut, to garnish

METHOD

COMBINE all the ingredients, except for the pecan nut, in a shaker. Stir or whisk until the mascarpone has dissolved.

FILL with ice and shake hard for 15 – 20 seconds. Fine-strain into a chilled martini/coupe glass.

GARNISH with the whole/crushed pecan nut.

Lemon cream martini

Is there a way to combine the indulgences of booze and dessert? Well, a lemon cream martini, of course. This creamy, zesty concoction ensures that you have your dessert and drink it too.

INGREDIENTS

1 tot of citrus-flavoured vodka
4 tots of plain vodka
10ml (2 tsp) vanilla bean syrup
20ml (4 tsp) coconut milk
2 tots of lemon juice

METHOD

ADD ice cubes to a shaker with citrus-flavoured vodka, plain vodka, vanilla bean syrup, coconut milk, and lemon juice.

SHAKE until well blended.

POUR through a strainer into a chilled glass and garnish with lemon or zest.

Litchi martini

A quick and easy cocktail for summer! Sip this Litchi martini next to the pool, on the beach or simply while you are lounging outside for some ultimate summer-time relaxation!

INGREDIENTS

1 thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger (sliced)
4 fresh or tinned litchis
5ml (1 tsp) simple syrup
60ml (¼ cup) citrus-flavoured vodka
Ice cubes

METHOD

ADD the ginger (sliced) and litchis to a cocktail shaker.

MUDDLE until the litchis and ginger have released their juice.

ADD the simple syrup, citrus-flavoured vodka, and a few cubes of ice.

SHAKE and strain into a glass.

GARNISH with litchis.

Dark espresso surprise martini

The rich chocolatey character of The Legendary Dark Silkie Irish Whiskey is superb in a Dark Espresso Surprise, Dark Silkie’s take on an espresso martini.