Holiday Drink Recipes

December 03, 2020

Tis' the season! What better way to welcome the holiday season than cozying up next to your fireplace with a Winter cocktail? These festive drinks are easy to make, taste delicious, and will impress your family! (photos and recipes courtesy of brit.co)

Eggnog Colada

What you'll need:

• 3 cups whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract with seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon dried nutmeg
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 8-10 pineapple wedges
• 3 heaped Tablespoons soft brown sugar
• 5 eggs, separated
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup coconut rum
• 1/3 cup toasted coconut flakes
• vanilla pods for decoration (optional)
• sprinkled cinnamon for decoration (optional)

Directions:

1. Add the milk, cream, cinnamon, vanilla extract and nutmeg to a saucepan. Bring to a gentle bubble over a medium heat, then turn off the heat and leave to cool to room temperature.

2. Pour the pineapple juice into a small saucepan, bring to the boil, then simmer on a medium heat until reduced by two-thirds. Allow to cool to room temperature.

3. Preheat a skillet on a medium heat. Dust the pineapple wedges in the brown sugar and place in the skillet. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the sugar starts to caramelize, then turn over and cook for a further 1-2 minutes. Turn off the heat and transfer to a plate.

4. Place the egg yolks, granulated sugar and reduced pineapple juice in a large bowl or stand mixer. Whisk for 1-2 minutes, until lightly creamy. Place a sieve over the bowl, and slowly pour in the milk, whisking a few times during pouring, until the mixture is combined. Stir in the coconut rum. You can cover and refrigerate the mixture at this point, if making ahead.

5. Just before you're ready to serve, whisk the egg whites to the soft peaks stage. Add the egg whites to the bowl with the milk/rum mixture. Gently fold in until there are no lumps.

6. Serve with the caramelized pineapple chunks and sprinkle with toasted coconut. You could also serve with sprinkled cinnamon and vanilla pods to decorate if you like.

Cranberry Cosmo

What you'll need:

• 1 lime
• 2 heaped Tablespoons superfine sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon fine edible gold glitter
• 2 cocktail stirrers/skewers
• 12-14 fresh or frozen cranberries
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 Tablespoons cointreau (or other orange liqueur)
• 2 1/2 fluid ounces (5 Tablespoons) vodka
• 2 1/2 fluid ounces (5 Tablespoons) cranberry juice
• 2 heaped teaspoons cranberry sauce

Directions:

1. Slice the lime in half, and make a shallow cut into the flat side of one of the lime pieces (like you're going to cut the lime into quarters, but don't go all the way through with the knife). Take a martini glass, and use the cut part of the lime to run the lime around the whole edge of the glass. Repeat with a second glass. Place the sugar and edible glitter on a plate. Stir to mix. Place one of the glasses upside-down into the glitter sugar to coat the top of the glass (the lime juice should make it stick). Repeat with the other glass. Put the glasses to one side.

2. Thread the cranberries onto the two cocktail skewers, then wind the thyme sprigs around the cranberries. Put to one side.

3. Half fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the cointreau, vodka, cranberry juice, cranberry sauce and juice of the remaining half of the lime. Place a lid on the shaker and shake thoroughly.

4. Pour the cocktail into the glasses (use a strainer so the ice and any lumps of cranberry sauce are left behind).

5. Top the glasses with the cranberry and thyme skewers before serving.