Five punches that will give your party a kick
Hosting a holiday bash? These punch recipes from six intrepid local barmen are guaranteed to get the party started without breaking the bank.
Gonzo Punch
From Jacob Prain of Chinatown
Prain’s variation on the classic Burrough’s Punch swaps out the berry cordial in favor of simple cranberry juice, creating a no-fuss recipe with ingredients all easily sourced in Shanghai. The heavy concentration of gin and bubbly is “sure to get the Christmas cheer flowing,” says Prain. “What use is a bowl of punch of it can’t incite a little folly?”
Ingredients
- One bottle (750mls) of London dry gin (Beefeater, Gordon’s, Bombay Sapphire, etc.)
- One bottle (750mls) of sloe gin -- made from sloe berries. Both De Kuyper and Gabriel Dijon have a locally available sloe gin.
- 500mls of freshly squeezed lemon juice (adjust according to taste)
- 250mls of orange juice
- 250mls of cranberry juice
- 100mls of sugar syrup* to taste
- Four tablespoons of marmalade
- One liter of chilled Earl Grey tea
- Two bottles of Prosecco or Champagne (depending on your budget)
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients except for the sparkling wine directly into punch bowl.
- Once guests have arrived and are ready to drink, add the sparkling wine.
- Garnish with citrus wheels, berries and grated nutmeg. Yangmei would also complement the drink well, when in season.
- An important note on ice: A punch bowl should always be served with a large block of ice in the centre, as cubed ice dilutes too quickly. The ice is easily prepared by leaving a large container of filtered water in the freezer overnight. For added visual effect, you can place chopped citrus, berry fruits, edible flowers, etc. in to the water before it freezes.
It serves
About 20 people (makes five liters so about 20 cups).
Hot Apple Pie Punch
From Jacky Ying of the Glamour Bar
Ying loves this steamy apple brandy concoction because “it warms you up and it’s like having dessert.” This festive brew reminds us of a Christmas stocking filled with a few of our favourite things: cinnamon, cloves, apple cider and rum, of course.
Ingredients
- One litre dry cider
- 125ml Calvados
- 125mls dark rum
- 125g raisins
- Four, five centimeter cinnamon sticks
- 16 cloves
- One apple, cored, halved and sliced
- Glasses: A two litre heatproof jug or punch bowl and four to six heatproof glasses
Instructions
- Put the raisins and rum into a bowl and allow to soak for two hours.
- Then mix all the other ingredients.
- Pour into a pan and heat very slowly; do not allow to boil.
- Serve hot with raisins and a cinnamon stick in each glass and the cloves and the apple slices floating in the mixture.
- Serve straight, or mix in some fresh cream.
It serves
Four to six people.
CiNNamonGO
From Adam Devermann of Manifesto
Did you know that many early punches consisted of just five ingredients, and that the name “punch” is thought to be derived from the Sanskrit “panchan” or the Persian “panj,” both of which translate to “five”? These are the types of factoids you learn when you drop by Manifesto to chat with Devermann. The man knows an absurd amount about punch, and put his expertise to use whipping up a five-ingredient original recipe just for CNNGo.
Ingredients
- 250ml brandy (a decent V.S.O.P if you've got it)
- 50ml orange curacao (triple sec if you're in a pinch)
- 100ml fresh lime juice
- 50ml cinnamon simple syrup (or to taste)
- One bottle Champagne or sparkling wine
Instructions for making a cinnamon simple syrup
- Place equal parts sugar and water over medium-low heat.
- Add a few cinnamon sticks.
- Stir to dissolve the sugar while bringing the mix to a simmer.
- Leave on medium-low heat for about 30 minutes (or longer if you love cinnamon).
It serves
This recipe makes about one liter so serves about four people.
Grand Marnier Punch
From Aymeric Le Boucher and Sam Yan of Longitude
The wow-factor of this potent potable lies in the rum-infused cherries, apples and other fruits. The consummate host, Le Boucher recommends letting the mixture sit for at least 24 hours so that the floating chunks of fruit soak up lots of booze and your party guests can then “eat the fruit and get twisted.”
Ingredients
- One bottle (750 ml) dark rum
- 250ml Grand Marnier
- Orange juice to taste
- Apple juice to taste
- Sliced apples, bananas, oranges and cherries
It serves
Makes about one liter so serves about four people.
Mid Summer Punch
From Ken Zhang of Vue Bar
When he’s not mixing up dirty martinis and frothy mojitos, Zhang likes to bring a bit of tropicalia to Shanghai's frigid winter with this fizzy, citrusy, non-alcoholic punch. Even an amateur bartender will find it hard to mess this up.
Ingredients
- 60ml fresh orange juice
- 45ml fresh pineapple juice
- 60ml ginger ale
It serves
One person.
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