The Blood Orange Fizz

The Blood Orange Fizz

It takes a little jiggering (no pun intended) to get a mocktail to taste like a cocktail. The other night my companion ordered two mocktails and they both tasted pretty much like juice with sparking water. They lacked complexity and the "grown-up" flavor that alcohol imparts.

I challenged myself to create a mocktail that has the balance and sophistication of a cocktail. I rifled through my pantry and fridge and came up with the idea of adding Tippleman's Burnt Sugar syrup to an essentially tropical beverage.  It sounds paradoxical to mix something that seems so earthy and warm with light and fresh citrus flavors but that's why it works - it provides the perfect counterpoint.

Now it's my go-to beverage anytime I want a special drink without alcohol. I hope you like it as much as I do.

The Blood Orange Fizz

Ingredients

Mix the lime juice with the syrup in a Collins glass. Add ice. This looks great with the large square ice cubes. Top with the Sanpellegrino and give another stir to mix in the lime juice and syrup. You can always add a little more syrup if you want it a bit sweeter.

Garnish with a lime twist (shown) or a round of lime slipped into the glass.

Homemade Burnt Sugar Syrup Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup hot water

Put the sugar in a medium fry pan over medium-high heat. Cook until the sugar melts, stirring constantly. This will take approximately 5 minutes. The sugar will clump but that won't affect the finished product.

Continue cooking until it becomes dark brown and foamy, about 1 minute.

Remove from heat quickly and carefully.

Pour in the hot water while stirring constantly. Be very careful because the sugar will splatter.

Once the water is wholly incorporated return to medium-high heat and cook until the syrup thickens a bit and the bubbles are getting bigger - about 2 minutes.

After the syrup cools completely, pour it into a clean jar and store it in the refrigerator for up to a month.

Cheers!

Darcy