What better way to kick back this festive season than with a winter warmer of a cocktail!
Lisa Wilkinson, owner of The Wicklow Escape shares her Christmas Negroni recipe. A super seasonal twist on the classic, forget mulled wine, this is Christmas in a glass.
Ingredients:
- Spicy syrup
- 1 Star Anise
- 2 Cloves nutmeg
- 2 Cinnamon sticks (each approx 7.5cm/ 3 inches in length)
- 15 cloves
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp pink peppercorns
- 100 g palm/caster sugar1
- 100 ml water
- Zest of one orange
Method: - 30 ml/ 1 fl oz gin silks wicklow gin
- 30 ml/ 2 fl oz sweet vermouth
- 60 ml/ 2 fl oz campari
- 2 charred segments of Orange
- A little sunflower oil
To Make the Spicey syrup: - Put the spices into an unoiled pan and gently heat gently for 1-2 minutes to release their aromas
- Roughly smash up the spices using either a pestle & mortar or the end of a rolling pin
- Put the spices, water, and sugar into a pan on a low heat and reduce to half the volume to make a syrup.
To Make the Christmas Negroni - Put an un-oiled frying pan over high heat while you brush the orange segments lightly with the oil.
- Place both segments flesh side down in the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes until beginning to char.
- Flip over and cook the other side in the same way. Remove from the pan to cool
- Put a few ice cubes into your glass, add one of the charred orange wedges and top with a little more ice cubes
- Mix the gin, red vermouth, and Campari with one tablespoon of the syrup in your cocktail shaker and pour over ice
- Add the remaining orange segment & serve immediately
