Sparkling Strawberry Crush
Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for Sparkling Strawberry Crush.
Nov 06, 2009 3:15am- Serves 8
- 15 mins preparation
- 20 mins cooking plus cooling
Fruity? Yes. Girlie? Most definitely. But if you can't have a fruity, girlie drink on a sparkling summer's day, when can you? Make up a big batch in a jug and serve with fresh limes and extra gin to the side for your guests to add to their taste.
ingredients
- 250 gm strawberries (about 1 punnet), hulled and coarsely chopped
- 2 limes, juice only, plus extra wedges to serve
- ¼ cup (loosely packed) mint, plus extra to serve
- To serve: crushed ice and soda water
Strawberry-gin cordial
- 500 gm strawberries (about 2 punnets), hulled and coarsely chopped
- About 330gm (1½ cups) white sugar
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
- 180 ml gin, or to taste
method
Main
- 1
For strawberry-gin cordial, combine strawberries and 500ml water in a saucepan, bring to the boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, simmer until strawberries are fragrant and pulpy (12-15 minutes), then strain through a muslin-lined sieve, pressing to extract all liquid (discard solids). Measure strawberry liquid (you should have about 1½ cups or 375ml) and combine in a clean saucepan with an equal amount by volume (not by weight) of sugar (about 1½ cups or 330gm). Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves, bring to the boil, reduce heat to low-medium and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add vinegar, then cool slightly and stir through gin. Cool completely before using. Makes about 600ml. Cordial will keep refrigerated in a sterile bottle or container for 2 months.
- 2
To serve, muddle strawberries, lime juice and mint and divide among glasses. Add strawberry-gin cordial to taste, top up with crushed ice, then soda water, and serve with lime wedges and extra mint. Add a cheeky splash of extra gin for good measure.