Faithful fancy
- Prepare
- less than 30 mins
- Cook
- less than 10 mins
- Serve
- Makes 1
You can make this easy syrup for a party, then serve it as a punch or as a shaken cocktail. For a zesty mocktail, just top up the syrup with sparkling water to taste. Alternatively, add a tablespoonful of the syrup to your prosecco for a twist on bucks fizz.
By Emily Angle
Method
Give the fruit a wash under warm water and dry thoroughly. To pare the zest from the citus fruits, use a vegetable peeler to lightly peel away strips of zest. Place in a saucepan with 300ml/10fl oz water and the sugar.
Place the pan over a medium heat and slowly bring the syrup to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
Meanwhile, squeeze the juice from all the citrus fruit. You should have close to 300ml/10fl oz juice. Top up with any of the fruit if you need to make up the quantity.
Once boiling, add the fruit juice and heat until just under the boil (you’ll see tiny bubbles beginning to fizzle up through the liquid). Remove from the heat.
Strain the syrup through a fine sieve into a jug. Then pour through a funnel into a sterilised bottle or jar. Seal while warm and the syrup should keep for a couple of weeks in the fridge.
To make the shaken cocktail, add the ingredients to a cocktail shaker with a good handful of ice. Shake hard for 30 seconds, then strain into a chilled coupe glass. See the recipe tips for how to serve as a punch.
Recipe tips
To serve as a punch, add the syrup to a large bowl with plenty of ice. Add 500ml/18fl oz sparkling water, gin (to taste) and sliced fruit and stir well to chill. Serve immediately.
