Blackberry Cucumber Ginger Spritzer Recipes

Steps:

• Muddle the blackberries and basil in a pitcher. Add the club soda, vodka, cassis, lime juice and agave and stir to combine. Chill for at least 1 hour and until ready to serve. Thread a basil leaf and blackberry onto each cocktail pick. Serve the spritzers over ice and garnish with the cocktail picks.

Steps:

• In a shaker, combine the cucumber slices, mint leaves and ginger. Muddle the ingredients until they begin to soften. Add enough ice to fill up half of the shaker. Add the cucumber juice and lime juice and shake until the ingredients are combined.
• Transfer immediately to a tall glass and top with the ginger beer. Serve.

Steps:

• For the sipping vinegar:.
• Mash the blackberries and sugar together in a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 2 days, stirring occasionally. Add the vinegar to the macerated blackberries and refrigerate for another day. Press the mixture through a fine mesh strainer, discarding the solids. Transfer your sipping vinegar to a container.
• For the herbal tea:.
• Combine the ginger and 2 1/2 cups water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the tea bags and turn off the heat. Let the mixture steep for 5 minutes, then strain and cool.
• For the spritzer:.
• Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add 2 ounces blackberry sipping vinegar, 2 ounces cooled herbal tea, 1/2 ounce lemon juice and 1/2 ounce elderflower syrup. Shake vigorously and pour over a glass filled with ice. Top off with some seltzer and garnish with 3 cucumber slices, 1 ginger coin and a mint sprig. Repeat.

Steps:

• In a blender or food processor, blend together the ginger, cucumber and 1/2 cup cold water. Strain and press the puree through a mesh sieve.
• Serve over ice and garnish with a lemon and cucumber wheel.
• Optional serving: Fill glasses with ice and one-half to two-thirds full with the blended juice. Top with lemonade and/or vodka.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grease a 9-inch pie plate with the butter. Dust the dish with 1 tablespoon sugar, making sure you cover the sides too! I do this by holding the pie plate near-vertical and shimmying the sugar around the edge. Set the pie plate aside.
• Using a stand mixer, an electric hand-mixer or a blender, mix the remaining 1/3 cup sugar, flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, ginger, garam masala, eggs, milk, heavy cream and vanilla and let it go until the mixture is frothy.
• Arrange the blackberries in the bottom of the pie plate (I don't like it to look too uniform), and carefully pour the batter into the dish.
• Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, rotating the dish halfway to ensure even cooking. You'll know it's done when you insert a knife into the center and it comes out clean. Don't worry if certain areas puff up more than others as the clafouti cools on your counter it will even out.
• Serve warm or at room temperature, dusted with a little powdered sugar, and topped with a little whipped cream, if desired. I like it just the way it is when it comes out of the oven!
• Combine the cinnamon sticks, cloves, green cardamom seeds, black cardamom seeds, if using into a spice grinder or coffee grinder and grind until fine. Store the spice mix in an airtight container away from direct sunlight.

Steps:

• Place blackberries in a shaker; muddle. Pour rum and sweet and sour mix over muddled blackberries; fill the shaker with ice. Cover and shake until chilled. Pour into a glass and top with ginger beer.