Sunday, June 9, 2013

Watermelon Daiquiris



Taking advantage of the abundance of fresh fruit is one of the perks of summer. Fresh berries, melons and stone fruits naturally lend themselves to a variety of desserts, but they also make wonderful cocktails – and nothing puts dinner guests 


in a better mood than being greeted with a special cocktail (with or without alcohol) made with fresh fruit. Though this blog is mostly focused on desserts, occasionally I get a little side-tracked and spotlight something served before the 


main course instead of after. Yesterday I found some adorable miniature seedless watermelons in my local supermarket, and just couldn’t resist their pull. Because of their high water content and natural sweetness, watermelons make 


particularly delicious cocktails. And because the flavors watermelon and lime pair so well, a watermelon daiquiri is one of my favorite summer drinks. Freezing the watermelon ensures an ice-cold drink, while adding a little Cointreau adds a subtle


floral note. This daiquiri is perfectly balanced, with a strong rum kick. Be careful, these babies will sneak up on you. 


Watermelon Daiquiris

Makes 4 drinks

5 cups seedless watermelon flesh, cut into 1-inch cubes
½ cup (121 g) lime juice
1 ¼ cups dark rum (I like Mount Gay or Myers’s)
¼ cup simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water) or 3 tablespoons (37 g) superfine granulated sugar
1 tablespoon Cointreau
6 ice cubes

1. Place the watermelon cubes in a covered container in the freezer for at least 1 hour. Place serving glasses in the freezer to chill, too.
2. Combine all ingredients except the ice cubes in a blender and process at low speed until smooth. Add the ice cubes and process at high speed until smooth. Serve the daiquiris in chilled glasses with a small slice of watermelon.