Mexican-Spiced Orange, Ginger & Mint Mocktail
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Inspired from travels to: Mexico
Recipe type: Beverage
Serves: 8
Ingredients
FOR THE MOCKTAIL
  • 2 medium oranges
  • 1 ½ cups demerara sugar
  • 1 bunch fresh mint
  • 6-8 small chunks of ginger with the skin on
  • 1.5 cups drinking water
  • 1l soda water or sparkling water
TO DECORATE THE GLASS
  • ¾ cup Demerara sugar
  • A bowl of water
  • 8 sprigs of fresh mint
  • 8 orange slices
  • 1 tbsp Mexican chilli powder – see ingredients below
  • Crushed ice
MEXICAN-STYLE CHILI POWDER
  • If you cannot find a Mexican chili powder at your local store you can make your own at home by simply combining the following ingredients:
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1.5 tbsp paprika (mild or hot)
  • ⅛ tsp red chili flakes
  • ⅛ tsp ground cayenne pepper
Instructions
FOR THE MOCKTAIL
  1. Start off by peeling thin pieces of orange rind and avoiding the white pith. Also cut ginger into 1-inch chunks at this stage.
  2. Slice the oranges in half and extract juice into a saucepan.
  3. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and add sugar and water to the orange juice. Bring to the boil, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves.
  4. Reduce the heat to medium and carefully add the orange rind, ginger, and mint and simmer for 5 minutes.
  5. Remove the saucepan from heat and let it cool to room temperature.
  6. Strain the juice into an airtight container or reuse an empty bottle of water. Store in the refrigerator for up to one week. Toss away the leftover orange rinds, mint and ginger.
FOR DECORATING THE GLASS
  1. Fill a medium-sized bowl with just enough water so that you can get the rim of the glasses wet.
  2. In another medium-sized bowl combine 1 cup demerara sugar and 1 tbsp Mexican chili powder – either homemade or store-bought.
  3. Dip the rim of the glass in water first and then dip it in the sugar-chilli mix. You may need to apply some pressure and turn the glass around in the mix to fully cover the edges.
TO SERVE
  1. Add 1 tbsp crushed ice to a sugar-chili rimmed glass. Pour ¼ cup of the orange ginger mint juice you have made and top with sparkling water/soda water/alcohol of choice. Add a slice of orange and top with a sprig of mint.
Notes
YOU CAN ALSO TRY:

ADDING ALCOHOL: If mocktails just don’t cut it for you, add a splash of champagne, prosecco, vodka, gin or rum to kick things up a notch.
AVOIDING CHILI: Omit the chili if you don’t like a lot of spice and if it’s summertime where you are. It will taste just as good.

Adapted from: https://gr8chefmb.wordpress.com
Recipe by Voyageur Chic at http://voyageurchic.com/mexican-spiced-mocktail/