Whisky, Cranberry, Blinq Blossom and Kaffir Lime Leaves Festive Cocktail

Ingredients for 4 portions

Ingredients for the candied cranberries

• 100g fresh cranberries
• 50g single malt whisky
• 50g freshly squeezed orange juice
• 50g light muscovado sugar
• 50g caster sugar

Ingredients for the cocktail

• 400g cranberry juice
• 4 cloves
• 2 star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 20g light muscovado sugar
• 40g fresh orange juice
• Zest of an orange
• 160g single malt whisky
• 2g citric acid solution (or to taste)
• Freeze dried cranberry powder for glass edge
• 4 cocktail glasses
• 4 fine gold cocktail picks
• 8 Blinq Blossoms
• Edible gold leaf sheets
• Kaffir Lime Leaves Powder (dry leaves in the microwave and grind to a powder)

Ingredients for the foam

• 35g per cocktail
• 40g sugar
• 200g boiling water
• 2g citric acid solution
• Seeds from 1 Koppert Cress Black Vanilla pod
• 1.5g CMC powder
• 1.5g Sosa soya whip

Method

Method for the candied cranberries

• Soak the fresh cranberries in the whisky, muscovado sugar and orange juice overnight in the fridge.
• Set a dehydrator to 60-70C. Drain off any liquid left on the cranberries (this can be added to the main cocktail mix). Toss the drained cranberries in the caster sugar.
• Lay the cranberries onto a dehydrator tray and place in dehydrator for an hour or more until softening slightly but still holding shape.
• Remove and reserve for serving.

Method for the cocktail

• Place the cranberry juice, cloves, star anise, cinnamon stick, muscovado sugar, orange juice, orange zest in a pan and warm to steaming point and the sugar is dissolved.
• Let infuse for an hour or so until cool.
• Strain in to a jug and add the whisky and citric acid solution. Chill in the fridge until required.
• To dust the glass rim, dip just the very top edge in the cocktail liquid, then place rim down on some freeze-dried cranberry powder.
• Place glasses aside until ready to serve.

Method for the foam

• Place the sugar, vanilla seeds, boiling water and citric acid in a jug and stir until sugar dissolves.
• Using a hand blender, blitz in the CMC powder and Soya Whip just to incorporate. Let the mix
• rehydrate for 10-15 minutes (or until required), while chilling it in the fridge.

Method for serving

• Decorate a few of the cranberries with gold leaf.
• Pour the cocktail liquid in to the glasses. Froth the foam mix with a hand blender until white and fluffy. Pour/spoon on to the top of each cocktail.
• Slide Blinq Blossoms and the candied/gold cranberries on to the cocktail picks. Lay a pick across the top of each glass, or in the glass, depending on shape/size.
• Dust each cocktail with a small amount of Kaffir Lime Leaves powder.
• Serve.

Chef: Shona Sutherland