Five Chilli-Infused Cocktails That Will Take You To Latin America
What's not to love about cocktails spiced with Latin American peppers and chillies? The heat perfectly complements the sweetness and botanicals in alcoholic beverages. Check out a few recipes with Latino heat to make delightful drinks.
1. Habanero Pisco Sour
Ingredients
60 ml Pisco
30 ml Lime juice
30 ml Habanero infused simple syrup
One Egg white
Ice
3 drops Angostura bitters
Method
Take a shaker and mix pisco, lime juice, simple syrup, and egg whites. Add ice and shake for a minute to create a thick egg-white foam. Strain into a coupe and garnish with drops of Angostura bitters.
2. Spicy Jalapeño Margaritas
Ingredients (Makes 1 pitcher)
For the Margarita:
750 ml Don Julio Blanco
250 ml Grand Marnier
85 ml Fresh lime juice
250 ml Simple syrup
Ice
Lime and Jalapeño slices, for garnish
For the lalapeño-infused tequila:
250 ml Don Julio Blanco
½ Sliced Jalapeño
Method
For the Jalapeño infused tequila:
Add the jalapeño to the tequila. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for a few hours or for a day. Remove the jalapeño and pour the drink into small serving glasses so that it can be served as a side to the guests.
For the Margarita:
Take a pitcher and mix all the ingredients for the margarita. Pour into serving glasses. Add a few drops of the spicy tequila into each glass. Do note that the tequila is very spicy.
3. The Burning Martini
Ingredients
2 Thinly sliced fresh Serrano pepper
45 ml Smirnoff vodka
20 ml Freshly squeezed Lemon juice
20 ml Freshly squeezed Orange juice
15 ml Simple syrup
15 ml Cranberry juice
1 tablespoon Granulated sugar
1 Orange wedge
Method
Take a shaker and mash a slice of the Serrano pepper lightly using a muddler. Add vodka, lemon and orange juice, simple syrup and cranberry juice. Fill the shaker with ice. Shake vigorously at least ten times. Run the orange wedge around the rim of a martini glass and dip the glass into the sugar. Strain the cocktail into the glass. Coat the remaining slice of Serrano pepper with sugar and float it on the drink as a garnish.
4. Don Diablo
Ingredients
1/2 inch Jalapeño
60 ml Mezcal
30 ml Passionfruit purée
20 ml Hibiscus tea syrup*
20 ml Fresh Lime juice
Hibiscus-flavoured carbonated water
Lime wheel, for garnish
750 gm Sugar
Method
For the hibiscus tea syrup:
Steep 15 hibiscus tea bags in 2 cups of hot water for 20 minutes. Add 750 gms of sugar and mix till well combined.
For the cocktail:
Take a shaker and muddle the jalapeño in it. Add mezcal, passionfruit, hibiscus tea syrup and lime. Now, shake with ice. Strain the concoction into a highball glass top with hibiscus-flavoured carbonated water. Garnish with a lime wheel.
5. Jalapeñyaaas Queen
Ingredients
For jalapeño gin and rosemary simple syrup:
750 ml Tanqueray
4 jalapeños seeds, rinds and cut into rounds
250 gm Sugar
250 gm Water
4 to 5 whole sprigs Rosemary
For the cocktail:
60 ml Jalapeño gin
30 ml Rosemary simple syrup
60 ml Lime juice
60 ml Pineapple juice
Method
For the Jalapeño gin:
Take a bowl, add the jalapeño slices and let sit at room temperature for a couple of hours. Strain into a glass container with a lid. You can preserve it for several months by refrigeration.
For Rosemary simple syrup:
Take a pot, add sugar, water and rosemary sprigs and heat the contents over a medium-high flame. Bring the mixture to a boil. Stir constantly until the sugar dissolves. Turn off the heat and let the syrup cool completely, at least for 30 minutes. Remove the sprigs and store the syrup in the fridge. It can last for a few weeks.
For the cocktail:
Take a mixing glass, pour all the ingredients and stir. Before serving, dump into a fresh cocktail glass over ice.
While it's great to learn about making alcoholic beverages, it is important to also consume alcohol moderately. Remember to serve and drink responsibly to ensure you and your guests are healthy and out of harm's way. If you know anyone who has trouble controlling their alcohol intake, please refer them to a professional immediately.
