With evenings closing in, this is a great autumnal signature serve using cider, freshly picked apples with the warming tones of cinnamon. A ‘smash’ involves both muddling and shaking the ingredients in cocktail shaker for longer, you might have to switch arms.
There are three parts to this drink, the spice apple sugar syrup, preparing the sugar rim and the cocktail. We have used King’s Ginger Liqueur and Aspall Suffolk Organic Cyder as ingredients.
Ease of Making: Easy
Glass Type: Rocks Glass
Taste: Spicy, warming with crisp autumnal tones
Apple & Cinnamon Sugar Syrup:
- 170g Golden caster sugar or maple sugar
- 1 small apple, sliced
- 7g cinnamon (we used a stick)
- 2g fresh grated ginger
Cocktail Recipe:
- 120ml Apple Cider
- 60ml Chardonnay Vodka
- 60ml Ginger Liqueur
- 60ml Apple cinnamon simple syrup
Method:
- To create the syrup place all the ingredients into a small saucepan, heating over a medium heat. Stir until all the sugar is dissolved, do not allow the sugar to catch (burn). As the syrup thickens take it off the heat and allow to cool. Strain into a bottle and place into the fridge.
- To frost the rim of the glass, wipe the rim with some apple cider and then dip into a mixture of caster sugar / cinnamon
- Place into a cocktail shaker all the ingredients with a handful of ice.
- Shake until the shaker frosts on the outside.
- Double strain using a handheld strainer into a coupe glass.
- Garnish with either apple slices or a cinnamon stick.
Variations:
- Add an extra teaspoon of ginger to the simple syrup for added spice.
- Use a sweeter apple variety to flavour the simple syrup, such as Gala, Braeburn or Honeycrisp apples.
- Replace cider with Perry (Pear Cider).
