Apricot-amaretto fizz

Refreshing, delicious cocktail or mocktail!

I brought home a big basket of apricots this week and have been enjoying playing with them in all sorts of sweet and savoury ways. I love their mild, gently sweet flavour and thought they just might make a tasty base for a cocktail, given that fresh fruit and alcohol often go so well together. I was right. This drink is a tad sweeter than I generally prefer but the flavour is balanced and really quite lovely. It occurred to me while taste-testing that this cocktail would be ideal to enjoy as an after-dinner digestif, perhaps with a cheese plate – apricots and cheese are a classic pairing. For an equally-tasty variation on this drink, substitute the soda water with dry sparkling wine. Cheers!

Ingredients

For the apricot syrup:

• 1 cup (250 mL) chopped apricots (about 2 large)
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) white sugar
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) water
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice

For the cocktail:

• 1.5 ounces (45 mL) Amaretto
• 1.5 ounces (45 mL) apricot syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ice cubes
• soda water

Method

For the apricot syrup:

• Combine apricots, sugar, water and lemon juice in a small saucepan.
• Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, for 15 – 20 minutes, until fruit is very soft and liquid has become syrupy.
• Strain, pressing down on fruit a little to extract as much juice as possible.
• Refrigerate until ready to use (you want it to be cool or cold when you prepare your drinks).

Makes approximately 1/2 cup of syrup. Can be refrigerated for up to one week or frozen for up to three months.

For the cocktail:

• Put 4 – 5 ice cubes in a tumbler.
• Add amaretto, apricot syrup and lemon juice.
• Fill to within 1/2 inch (1.75 cm) of the top of the glass with soda water.
• Stir gently.
• Garnish with a wedge of fresh apricot or a twist of lemon.

Makes one cocktail.