Tag: festive

BONUS RECIPE: Christmas 75 cocktail!

As I hosted a bake-off screening with some friends this year (naturally I’m obsessed) I decided to do cocktails.  Whilst seeking inspiration online I found a recipe for a French 75.

At its most basic level, a French 75 contains gin, lemon juice and sugar or sugar syrup, topped up with something fizzy.  However, recipes vary, and some contain Cointreau, an orange liqueur. 

The Christmas 75 cocktail

When my friends and I tasted the budget student version which I threw together (Cointreau, bog standard gin, a spoonful of sugar and tonic water) we were delighted!  It was sweet but drinkable, and felt a bit fancier than what we were used to. 

Recently we got a bottle of spiced clementine gin into the house.  I was worried that it would be a bit naff, an overly-sweet Christmas gimmick.  But I was pleasantly surprised at the fresh taste of the clementine and the subtle spices.  It wasn’t long before I got the idea to add it to my new favourite cocktail.

This is the result!  I call it a Christmas 75.  It’s indulgent and fun, though Prosecco purists won’t be happy.  Mind how you go with these, they’re powerful (and if you’d like to experiment with the Cointreau, why not try my winter spice cake with Cointreau icing?). 

Christmas 75 cocktail and winter spice cake

Christmas 75:  

Spiced clementine gin

Cointreau

Fizz (I used prosecco, tonic water works well for a lighter drink with a bitter edge)

Candied peel and chocolate coins to garnish (optional)

  1. I’m not one to measure exactly I’m afraid, so this isn’t much of a recipe.  I added two teaspoons of candied, chopped mixed peel to a champagne flute and poured enough gin to cover. 
  2. Then I added a splash of Cointreau (roughly two parts gin to one part Cointreau).
  3. Then I topped up with Prosecco.
  4. The chocolate coin garnish is tricky, but not impossible (I would not recommend it if you’re hosting a massive party).  Unwrap your choice of chocolate coin (not too small) and place it on a chopping board. 
  5. You then have to heat a small knife.  I tried a few different methods; soaking the knife in hot water and holding it over a toaster worked the best, as matches can produce a sort of sooty residue.
  6. After a few seconds of heating, place the knife on the coin.  You are attempting to melt a slit into the coin so that you may slot it over the side of the glass.  The coins are prone to shattering so make sure you do not try to make the slit too long, it should not quite reach the centre of the coin.  
  7. Repeat the process, heating the knife and gently slicing through the coin.  Eventually you should have a slit which will fit onto the side of a glass.  By that time you will need a drink.  Cheers!
Chocolate coin cocktail garnish

Winter spice cake with Cointreau icing

Like a lot of people I’m not a bit fan of traditional British Christmas cake, pudding, and mince pies.  They’re just not really to my taste, so a few years ago I made a lightly spiced sponge cake in a bundt tin, and iced it with a drizzle of white water icing and some shiny gold sprinkles.  It was simple but festive, a nice antidote to the sickly stickiness of the dried fruit which dominates at this time of year.  Great for children and adults, I decided that I would definitely make this cake again for future Christmases.  

Winter spice cake with Cointreau icing

It’s the perfect cake to have when people drop by; it’s light and festive, and can be customised as you please.  Although it’s gluten free this cake doesn’t crumble to dust on impact, but remains lovely  and spongey.  The warm spices gently unfurl as you’re eating the cake, and the toppings provide crunch and chew.  I think that any decoration on a bake should be pleasant both to look at and to eat.  Dried rose petals, for instance, look divine but become pot pourri in the mouth.  

Winter spice cake with Cointreau icing

 This time I decided to add Cointreau (an orange liqueur) to the icing.  I feel like Cointreau is one of those old-school drinks which comes out at Christmastime, and I wanted to provide some inspiration of what to do with it if you stumble upon a bottle (you can also make my Christmas 75 cocktail, recipe on the blog!).  If you’re making this cake for children or non-drinkers then feel free to replace the Cointreau with fresh orange juice or orange extract and water.

Christmas 75 cocktail and winter spice cake

Winter Spice cake with Cointreau Icing:

175g gluten-free self-raising flour

175g butter

115g caster sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1tsp almond extract (optional)

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground nutmeg

100g icing sugar

Cointreau or orange juice or orange extract

Toppings of your choice (dried fruit, nuts, sprinkles etc)

  1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees and butter a bundt tin.  
  2. Cream the butter with the sugar until pale and fluffy.
  3. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix together well.
  4. When the mixture is well combined place it in the bundt tin evenly and smooth the top.  Try to ensure that the mixture looks level all around. 
  5. Bake for about twenty minutes until the cake is golden and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.  Leave the cake to cool.
  6. Once the cake is cool place a plate or board on top and flip the plate/board and cake tin upside down.  Your cake might not come out straight away; I went around the edge of mine with a dinner knife a few times first. 
  7. Once the cake is out you can prepare your icing.  Pour the icing sugar into the bowl and gradually add your liquid (Cointreau, juice, water) bit by bit, stirring well, until you have a thick, opaque icing which drips easily from the spoon.  If you’re using Cointreau you may think the icing tastes strong, but once it’s on the cake it tastes fine.
  8. Decorate your cake as you please.  Enjoy!