Daiquiri – The little black dress of cocktails
Three ingredients, with easy to remember measures, make this cocktail one to master, you can make a spectacular amount of cocktails with a bottle of white rum, sugar syrups and a citrus fruit.
Sugar syrup is used in lots of cocktails. Because sugar will not dissolve in cold liquid you have to dissolve it first in boiling water and leave it to cool. Basically, put some white granulated sugar in a cup, cover with boiling water, stir, leave to cool and keep in an airtight container in the fridge. Will keep indefinitely.
Classic Daiquiri Recipe
- 45ml white rum I use Bacardi
- 30 ml fresh lemon juice
- 15ml sugar syrup
- ½ and egg white (optional)
Shake all of the ingredients with ice. Done. Garnish with a lemon twist if you wish. Serve in an old style champagne glass. I have broken all mine to use a small wine or martini glass instead.
NOW EXPERIMENT, a cocktail shaker is ideal but any water tight container can be used. Strain the ice out though.
As long as you remember 45ml white rum to 45ml acid and sweet you can play with this drink, changing the sugar syrup and juice ratios to suit your taste. I also buy Monin, a flavoured syrup but you can just add a fruit pulp or flavour to your simple sugar syrup.
Try these.
- 45ml white rum
- 30 ml fresh lime juice
- 15ml Monin Mint syrup
Crush some mint leaves in the shaker then add all the ingredients and shake with ice.
- 45ml white rum
- 25 ml fresh lemon juice
- 20ml pomegranate sugar syrup
Garnish with a slice of the fruit, when in season, like I have above. Yum.
- 45ml white rum
- 30 ml lemon juice
- 10ml passionfruit sugar syrup
- a plop of passion fruit pulp.
Again garnish with the fruit if in season.
The combos are endless.
If you have a blender you can make a frozen daiquiri by adding Cointreau and adjusting again.
Classic Frozen Daiquiri Recipe
- 45ml white rum I use Bacardi
- 15ml Cointreau
- 45 ml lime juice
- 1 tsp sugar
Blend all the ingredients with a ½ cup of crushed ice. traditionally served with a cherry on top. Perfect.
Put a sliced banana in for a stunning Banana Daiquiri, use any fresh or tinned fruit to your liking, but fresh is best. I enjoy a strawberry or apricot frozen daiquiri too. Going off track a little but pineapple and a little cream or coconut cream works a treat, not sure if this is still a daiquiri though! Whatever you choose these are cool and cleansing on a hot day, from the first icy sip to the last, melted one.
