It’s the first weekend of December, folks. You know what that means…Office christmas parties and get-togethers with those leaving the city for the festive period means this will be a month of celebrating, drinking, enjoying the odd cigar or two when you find the perfect heated outdoor space. For those having friends and family round, we’ve teamed up with Appleton Estates Rum to bring you some festive recipes that’ll break the ice and get the party seriously started. Besides, some kick-ass cocktails is what every host needs to make their night a success.
To start the night
Appleton Estate Jamaican Mule
We recommend kicking off with the Jamaican Mule, A fusion of ginger beer with the caramel and honey tones of Appleton Estate’s V/X. The subtle hints of vanilla and orange peel are rounded off with a refreshing hint of lime. What’s more, it’s just about the easiest cocktail to make and is sure to impress.
What you’ll need:
- 50ml Appleton Estate V/X
- 150ml ginger beer
- A squeeze of lime
How to mix it up:
- Pour Appleton Estate V/X in to a glass filled with ice
- Add the ginger beer
- To finish off, add a squeeze of lime and garnish with a slice of lime on top
And the fun continues…
Savannah Planter’s Punch
Here’s an easy citrusy cocktail which seems complicated but is worth gathering the ingredients for because it really is as simple as throwing it all in and giving it a wazz as Jamie Oliver would say.
What you’ll need:
- 45ml Appleton Estate 8 Year Old
- 20ml Cognac
- 2oml Lemon Juice
- 35ml Pineapple Juice
- 1tsp sugar
- Lots of lovely cracked ice
How to mix it up:
- Throw in the cracked ice in to a highball glass
- Stir in ALL the ingredients until chilled through
- That’s it. A great drink in literally seconds
After the BIG Christmas dinner…
Mai Tai
While the name and stereotype of Mai Tai’s may be all Sex and the City, we don’t hold that against what is one of the cocktail classic greats.
What you’ll need:
- 50ml Appleton Estate V/X
- 25ml fresh lime juice
- 12.5 ml orange Curacao
- 12.5ml orgeat
- 12.5ml gomme
- a sprig of mint
How to mix it up:
- Combine all ingredients (bar the mint) in a cocktail shaker and shake what ya mama gave ya (seriously though, give it a good shake)
- Strain (very important) and pour in to a rocks glass filled with crushed ice
- garnish with a slice of lime and a sprig of mint
Appleton Estate V/X Christmas Pudding
Without a doubt, one of our favourite parts to christmas dinners is christmas pudding. However, we yearn for tweaks that’ll make it that much more special each christmas. Here’s a great one that’ll be a sure 10 by even the grumpiest ‘Come Dine With Me’ contestant, replacing the brandy with Appleton Estate’s V/X rum to make it slightly sweeter and give more depth to the favour profile.
What you’ll need:
- 140g unsalted butter
- 90g chopped dried figs
- 90g chopped dried dates
- 90g chopped dried apricots
- 150g sultanas
- 175g grated apple
- 100g dried cranberries + extra to furnish
- 1 large zest & juice of orange (about 90ml)
- 1 zest of lemon
- 30g roughly chopped pecans
- 100ml Appleton Estate V/X
- 75g wholemeal breadcrumbs
- 100g plain flour
- 200g light muscovado sugar
- 2 free range woodland eggs lightly beaten
how to prepare:
- Add all the ingredients except the breadcrumbs, flour and eggs in a saucepan and mix together. Heat gently until the butter and sugar have dissolved. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 45 minutes
- Mix together the breadcrumbs and flour in a large bowl then pour into cooled fruit mixture. Add eggs and stir to combine
- Spoon into a buttered 1.2 litre pudding basin. Cover the top with a layer of greaseproof paper and a layer of foil, tying securely with string
- Place the pudding basin onto an upturned saucer and place in a pan. Fill the pan with boiling water so it comes a third of the way up the sides of the basin.
- Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 8 hours, ensuring the water level is topped up.
- Finally remove the pudding basin using oven gloves, and remove the lid, inverting the pudding onto a serving plate. Decorate with the reserved dried cranberries.
Nightcap with this…
Jamaican Fruit Punch
With the night almost over, warm up your guests before sending them out on their way home with the Jamaican Fruit Punch.
What you’ll need:
- 240ml Appleton Estate V/X
- 1 pot strong black tea
- 1 tbsp All Spice
- 1 sliced banana
- 5 sprigs mint
- 1 orange
- 1 lemon
- 10 raspberries
- 8 Strawberries
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup sugar
How to mix it up:
- In a large teapot, brew the tea with All Spice and sweeten with Grenadine or strawberry syrup*
- Add to the teapot the rum and three quarters of the fruit. Let it steep for 2 minutes
- Serve from the teapot or punch bowl and garnish with remaining fruit
*To make strawberry syrup:
- Mix 2 cups of water, 1 cup of sugar and the strawberries in a saucepan over medium heat
- Bring to the boil, whilst stirring to dissolve the sugar
- Simmer for 5 minutes then allow to cool
- Strain through cheese cloth or seive
That’s all our recipes to brighten up your christmas party. Give it a go. We’re sure your guests will love it and let us know how it goes.