Looking to make a delicious mocktail this holiday season? One that’s chilled on the outside but warms you on the inside? Give this pineapple ginger black pepper mocktail a try.
It’s no fun when adults drink beautiful cocktails and kids get boring fruit juice or soda.
When cocktails look so colorful, fun and exciting I find it’s not fair to tell kids “Oh no thats not for you,” And my kids usually say “But that looks so good.” After I heard this on a couple of occasions, I decided it’s not fair when adults drink beautiful cocktails and kids just get boring fruit juice or soda.
For a while now if we have cocktails on the menu I also make sure I have beautiful mocktails for the kids. And since this concoction is for kids anyway, I ask my kids to do their research and come up with a fun mocktail. Funnily, nine out of ten times, the adults will gravitate towards the kids mocktail too đ.
About the recipe
My daughter Anjali made this delicious pineapple mocktail for our Thanksgiving dinner this year called summer cooler. But when we had it we thought a more appropriate name would be winter storm, because the drink has a wonderful warming sensation that comes from homemade ginger and black pepper syrup.
Winter Storm Mocktail
This pineapple ginger mocktail is so good folks that you’ll be surprised how it transports you to warm tropical places far away, while warming you up on the inside as well.
What’s in Winter Storm
For this delicious mocktail fresh pineapple is blended into a smooth slush which adds a floral fruity flavor. Combined with the ginger black pepper syrup and a splash of sparkling mineral water, what you get is a deliciously sweet, spicy, fizzy, fruity drink.
Dry. Non-alcoholic Cocktails, Cordials and Clever Concoctions by Clare Lardet
This recipe comes from a little book titled Dry, Non-alcoholic Cocktails, Cordials and Clever Concoctions by Clare Lardet. This is a cute little book with plenty of non-alcoholic punch. I got it so that my twins could enjoy a fun drink when the adults are having their wine-laden, hard liquor enhanced cocktails. Its been a fun mocktail journey especally for Anjali who loves mocktails to try different recipes from this beautiful mixologist.
Cook’s Notes:
The hardest part of this recipe if you call it that is making the ginger black pepper syrup. The recipe is actually very easy, just make a simple syrup with ginger, black pepper and sugar. It’s the prepping the ginger that’s time consuming. Believe me though when I say the ginger black syrup is what makes this mocktail so unique and over the top delicious! The upside to making the syrup is that the leftovers can be stored in a jar to use in teas and even in other mocktails and cocktails.
Winter Storm. Pineapple Ginger Black Pepper Mocktail
recipe from Dry, Non-alcoholic Cocktails, Cordials and Clever Concoctions by Clare Lardet.
Ingredients:
1 fresh ripe pineapple peeled, cored and cut into cubes
Sparkling mineral water
Ice cubes
For syrup
250g Fresh ginger chopped into small pieces about 1 1/2 cups
1 tbsp coarsely ground Black pepper
2 cups Sugar
4 cups water
To make the mocktail you will need a blender and a cocktail shaker.
Directions:
Make the syrup: Place the ginger, black pepper, sugar, water in a pot and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and continue to simmer for 45 minutes. Turn the stove off and cool completely then strain into a sterilized bottle.
Make the mocktail:
Blend the pineapple until the flesh is crushed.
In a cocktail shaker add couple ice cubes. Add 1/2 cup of pineapple puree, add 1 tbsp of ginger black pepper syrup and shake until well mixed.
Pour the mixture in a glass, add 1/4 cup of club soda or sparkling mineral water and stir.
Serve garnished with fresh ginger, candied ginger or a mint leaf.
For more creative mocktail recipes grab a copy of Dry, Non-alcoholic Cocktails, Cordials and Clever Concoctions by Clare Lardet.
