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Try these 6 easy cocktail recipes to make using your top store-cupboard ingredients
Apr 1, 2020
One of the best things about our fabulous Gin of the Month boxes is that we send our members absolutely everything they need to create our Cocktail of the Month recipe. From the gin to the cocktail syrup, the mixer and even the garnish, it’s all included -and it certainly takes all of the effort out of shopping for all the different ingredients!
However, sometimes we also want to experiment with new drinks - but knowing what you can make with the simple ingredients you’ve got in the back of the cupboard can be tricky. Never fear! We are here to help…
We asked our amazing Facebook community of Craft Gin Clubbers what ingredients they’ve got in their kitchen that they’d most like to get a simple gin cocktail recipe for, and they responded in their hundreds!
So, we’ve put together a list of suggestions for a few really easy cocktails that you can whip up at home in under a minute, using the top five ingredients that our Craft Gin Clubbers voted they’d most like to use.
(Oh, and if you’d like more inspiration for easy cocktails to make at home, we’ve got dozens of them here on the blog, from classics like the Gimlet and the Negroni to modern-day creations that are guaranteed yumminess for every gin o’clock!)
Store-cupboard Ingredient #1: Coffee
Easy cocktail suggestion #1:
Instant Espresso Martini
If you’ve got espresso to hand, fantastic - this will produce the best-tasting ginny espresso martini! Don’t worry if you’re looking at instant coffee, though - we’ve done the taste test and think we’ve come up with a version that’s almost as good!
Ingredients:
40ml gin
15ml coffee liqueur
3 tbsp whipped coffee*
For the whipped coffee foam topping, you’ll need:
2 tbsp instant coffee granules
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp caster sugar
First, make your whipped coffee foam topping! Simply whip your instant coffee granules with the water and sugar with an electric whisk until soft peaks form.
Now chill your cocktail glass and add the gin and coffee liqueur. Stir thoroughly. (Alternatively, if you have a cocktail shaker, add the ingredients along with some ice, then shake and strain.) Carefully spoon your whipped coffee on top and serve!
Easy Cocktail Suggestion #2:
Dalgona Coffee Cocktail
Alternatively, if you don’t have any coffee liqueur and prefer a creamier tipple, try this ginny take on the Dalgona iced coffee drink!
This super-hot trend comes from South Korea and is a sort of upside-down cappuccino, with a milk base topped by a creamy, sweet coffee foam!
Here, we’ve taken this yummy idea and given it a boozy twist. The best thing is, it can be made with just a handful of store-cupboard ingredients.
40ml gin
1tsp caster sugar
100ml milk (or to taste)
Ice
For the Dalgona coffee cream:
1tbsp instant coffee or espresso powder (as fine as possible
1tbsp caster sugar
1 tbsp hot water
First create a milk punch by combining your gin, caster sugar and milk. Add ice and either shake (if you have a cocktail shaker) or stir it thoroughly.
Now create your Dalgona coffee cream topping by adding the instant coffee or espresso powder with the caster sugar and hot water to a mixing bowl. Using an electric hand-held mixer, whip the coffee mixture until it is light brown, fluffy and holds stiff peaks when the whisk is removed. Spoon your frothy coffee mixture on top of your milk punch for a delicious tipple!
Store-cupboard Ingredient #2: Honey
Easy cocktail recipe suggestion:
Honey Bees Knees
40ml gin
2 tsp honey
20ml fresh lemon juice
(20ml fresh orange juice - optional)
Add just the gin and honey to a shaker and stir vigorously until the honey dissolves. Now add the lemon juice, and the orange juice if using, and top up with ice. Shake well. Strain into a martini glass. Garnish with an orange zest twist, if you can.
Store cupboard ingredient #3: Lemon Juice
Easy cocktail recipe suggestion:
Breakfast Martini
50ml gin
15ml triple sec (or other orange liqueur)
15ml lemon juice
Heaped spoon of marmalade
Fill a cocktail shaker (or stirring glass) with ice and add all of your ingredients. Shake (or stir vigorously) for 20 seconds, then strain into a chilled Martini glass. Garnish with a twist of orange peel, if you have some.
Of course, the Bee’s Knees cocktail recipe above also works brilliantly for anyone looking for a gin cocktail recipe using lemon juice!
Store Cupboard Ingredient #3: Frozen Berries
Easy Cocktail Recipe Suggestion:
Berry Bramble
50ml gin
30ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
15ml sugar syrup*
30ml berry purée, sweetened**
Garnish: fresh (or thawed) strawberries and blackberries
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine the gin, sugar syrup and lemon juice. Shake vigorously, then strain into a glass filled with crushed ice. Top with the berry purée and garnish with berries, to serve.
*To make your own sugar syrup, simply simmer 200g caster sugar with 200ml water over a gentle heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved and reduced to a syrup. Leftover syrup can be stored in the fridge for use in other drinks!
**For the berry purée: In a blender, blitz mixed berries - either fresh or thawed frozen ones - with a few squeezes of lemon or lime juice and a few teaspoons of sugar (to taste) until liquefied.
You could also top this up with soda or tonic water, for a slightly less potent but equally delicious drink!
Store cupboard ingredient #5: Strawberry Jam
Easy cocktail recipe suggestion:
Gin and Jam
50ml gin (raspberry or other berry-flavoured pink gins could work well here)
15ml fresh lemon juice
15ml sugar syrup*
1 heaped tsp strawberry jam
(Raspberry and blackberry jam would also be lovely here!)
A handful of thawed frozen berries, if you have them, to garnish!
Add all of the ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled three-quarters full with ice. Shake very vigorously for a good minute - you want all the jam to have dissolved into the liquid. Fill your glass with crushed or cubed ice and then strain your drink over the ice, garnish with a few berries or a slice of lemon and serve!
*To make your own sugar - or simple - syrup, simmer 200ml water and 200g caster sugar over a low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved and you have a thin syrup. Leftover syrup can be stored in the fridge for other drinks!
