Feeling fruity this Christmas? Liven up the party with a cocktail that’s fresh, fabulous and served with a spoon.
About the cocktail
Christmas is a time for coming together, eating heaps of food and celebrating each other. But let’s be real, it’s also a competition. If you’re hosting a leg of the family Christmas tour (congrats, someone thinks you’re a mature adult), you’ll want to inspire some ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’, and challenge your uncle (you know the one) to drink something that’s not in a stubby holder. The Mezcalita Trifle is a Dan’s Daily original that captures all that red and green festivity, and it’s also guaranteed to make the other hosts a little jelly. What do mezcal and trifle have in common? Not a whole lot, to be honest. Mezcal is smoky, spicy, earthy and complex. Trifle is sweet, creamy, fruity and simple. They’re basically Paula Abdul and MC Skat Kat (FYI Zoomers), but that’s just it – there’s a certain magic when opposites attract. This cocktail takes liberties with the Mezcalita and trifle format, but when you’re fusing disparate disciplines, it comes with the territory. Apricots, raspberries and zingy lime juice lend the Mezcalita Trifle a super sunny, fresh fruit profile that you can’t help but smile at. Make no mistake, though, despite its playful appearance, and its name, this drink is no trifle. At heart, it’s still a Mezcalita, and in this version the mezcal and agave syrup really come alive. The Mezcalita Trifle is best enjoyed on hot summer days across all manner of festive season gatherings. Serve it up as dessert (for adults only) to provide a bit of theatre, play the nostalgia card with aplomb and pack a serious flavour punch. Any drink with layers that’s served with a spoon is a sure sign of a good time.
Ingredients
1 packet of Aeroplane Jelly, lime flavour
4 apricots, fresh or tinned, pips removed ½ cup raspberries, fresh or frozen 240mL mezcal 80mL light agave syrup 120mL lime juice 1 cup of ice Glass: festive glassware Garnish: star anise
Method
To make the jelly, follow the instructions on the packet and then pour the mix out into the bottom of your glasses – no more than ¼ of the way up Leave to set overnight in the fridge To make the drink, add all other ingredients to a blender with the ice and process until smooth Pour out the mix into the glasses with the set jelly Place a teaspoon in the side of the glass Garnish with star anise
Dan’s top tips
The Mezcalita Trifle doesn’t lend itself to spontaneity, so you’ll need to plan ahead. Set the jelly in your glasses the night before so that you’re good to go when guests arrive. Our recipe serves four, but you’ll get much more from a box of jelly, so consider preparing eight to 12 servings. The apricots can be tinned, the raspberries can be frozen, but remember – fresh is best. They say it for a reason. Good, fresh produce really does make all the difference. Plus, you’re celebrating, so it’s worth the extra effort. By the same token, quality mezcal is key. You definitely don’t want the cheap stuff. Think of mezcal like whisky or wine and choose something that stands on its own two feet as an excellent drop.
image credits: Shelley Horan (photography), Bridget Wald (styling), LSS (production)
