The Spiced Blood Orange Syrup combines the tangy flavour of blood oranges with the warm spice notes of cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg.
Spiced Blood Orange Syrup – Photo © Cocktails & Bars
The Spiced Blood Orange Syrup makes use of blood oranges which are currently in season. Not only does it lend a beautiful and bright colour to cocktails, it adds a tangy citrus flavour completed with warm spices.
Blood Oranges
Blood oranges originate from Sicily and Spain and in the cocktail world, one may be familiar with Solerno, a blood orange liqueur crafted by Master Distiller Lesley Gracie, also known for creating Hendrick’s Gin.
Blood oranges get their colour from a class of compounds called anthocyanin, naturally occurring pigments that give some plants a rich red, purple or blue colour. Aside from their striking crimson colour, blood oranges have a subtle berry-like flavour.
The process of making the syrup is very simple to follow. First, the spices are lightly toasted until fragrant which open up their flavour and release some of their essential oils. Blood orange juice is then combined with sugar in a 2:1 ratio before the toasted spices are added and left to simmer. Once the syrup has cooled down, the liquid is fine strained using a fine strainer or cheesecloth and stored in a swing top glass bottle in the refrigerator.
Spiced Blood Orange Syrup
Ingredients
- 1 cup blood orange juice, freshly squeezed and strained
- 1/2 cup white granular sugar
- 1 cinnamon quill, broken into small pieces
- 3 cardamom pods, slightly bruised
- a generous grating of nutmeg
Equipment: small pan, small saucepan, fine strainer or cheesecloth, swing top glass bottle
Method
- In a small pan, toast the spices until they become fragrant and put aside.
- In a saucepan, combine sugar and the strained blood orange juice over high heat until the sugar is dissolved.
- Add the spices and simmer on low heat for 5 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and leave to cool to room temperature and infuse for a minimum of 2 hours.
- Fine strain using a fine strainer or cheese cloth and store in a swing back glass bottle. It keeps in the fridge for 2 weeks.
How to Use Spiced Blood Orange Syrup in Cocktails
The Spiced Blood Orange Syrup is a versatile modifier and complements a range of spirits. It adds a warm and spiced note to an Old Fashioned made with bourbon or whisky and served over a large ice cube. It can be used with rum in a Dark Rum Daiquiri, with tequila in a Paloma cocktail in place of grapefruit, in a bourbon or gin smash with basil, rosemary or other herbs from the garden, in a riff on the French 75 with a citrus-forward gin and in a tall and refreshing drink such as the Collins.
Next… Blood Orange Bourbon Cocktail Recipe
