Fruit toast sour cocktail
Dried fruit and Christmas time are inseparable if you ask me. I love fruitcake, fruit mince pies and of course fruit toast! This fun little cocktail is inspired by spicy, delicious fruit toast and it is sooo Christmasy!
The fruit toast syrup is a little weird to make – I admit! But hang in there – it is liquid gold! The Cointreau and lemon juice in this cocktail helps brighten and break up the sweetness and really elevates the spices in the fruit toast syrup. Finally, the secret ingredient in this cocktail that gives it a toffee and ‘cold tea’ flavour is a Topaque.
A Topaque (pronounced ‘TOE-PAKE’) is the new Australian term for Tokay. This change was due to EU naming laws as only Tokaji Aszú in Hungary has the right to use the word Tokay. This is similar to Champagne only being able to be called Champagne if it is from the region. If you can’t find Topaque you can use a Muscat or Port instead. Topaque is a Muscadelle-based fortified slightly lighter than muscat. It is amazing paired with soft cheeses, fruit-based desserts or chilled as an aperitif in summer.
The Muscadelle grape is used in the sweet wines of Bordeaux and grows well in hot, sunny Australia. The grapes are allowed to hang on the vine longer than regular grapes soaking up that heat which concentrates the sugar and the acid as the grape shrivels up. The grapes are then picked, crushed and undergo a short fermentation until this is stopped (similar to Port) by the addition of a high-quality brandy spirit which kills the yeast ensuring a rich sweetness and flavour. The wine is then barrel-aged in old barrels to allow controlled oxidation which causes colour and flavour changes in the wine. The colour turns dark brown and due to evaporation (the angels share) the wine becomes thicker and a little oily. The older the wine, the more complex and interesting it becomes. This is why you will quite often see different aged Topaques – depending on what you prefer.
Ingredients
Fruit Toast syrup
- Stale fruit toast – 4 slices broken up into pieces
- sugar 500g
- water 300ml
Cocktail
- 30 ml Cointreau
- 15 ml Topaque
- 20 ml lemon juice
- 15 ml fruit toast sugar syrup
- ½ egg white
- Garnish - lemon peel twist
Instructions
- To make the fruit toast sugar syrup place the water, sugar and fruit toast into a saucepan. Bring to a boil, boil for 30secs-1min until slightly syrupy, then turn off the heat and allow to infuse for a few hours, ideally overnight. Then strain and squeeze the fruit toast really well to get out all the sugar syrup.
- Store in the fridge ready to use.
- To a cocktail shaker filled with ice add Cointreau, Topaque, lemon Juice, fruit toast sugar syrup and egg white.
- Shake well for 30-60 seconds. This will create a beautiful frothy top.
- Strain into a serving glass and finish with a lemon peel twist rubbed around the rim of the glass.
- Always drink responsibly. Strictly ages 18+
Notes
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Disclaimer - Nutritional information is provided as a guide only
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