Name: Sparkling Blackberry Basil Prosecco Cocktail
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Cocktail
Ingredients: 8-10 large fresh or frozen blackberries; 3 T. fresh basil, torn; ¼ c. honey, preferably local; ¼ c. water; 4 oz. Elderflower liqueur (optional); 1 750 ml bottle Prosecco, chilled; Fresh blackberries; Sprigs of fresh basil

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I love prosecco cocktails because they have that bubbliness of a champagne cocktail but aren’t quite as strong. And with drinks like this Sparkling Blackberry Basil Prosecco Cocktail, they look amazing too! But there’s a hidden ingredient in there that really brings the drink together. Let’s first talk about elderflower liqueur.

Contents

What’s elderflower liqueur?

The first time someone mentioned an elderflower flavoured drink, it was a tonic to drink with gin. My mind instantly went to something very floral which isn’t my favourite types of drinks. But when I finally got around to trying the elderflower tonic, I was pleasantly surprised.

Rather than tasting like you are drinking a bunch of flowers, it is quite a subtle flavour and is a bit more like a pear in taste. There’s definitely a sweetness to it but nothing like the full-on flower flavour I expected. When it comes to elderflower liqueurs, the most well-known one is St Germain. With its distinctive shaped bottle and navy blue labelling, it is easy to spot. It is made in France and can be used as an aperitif as well as in several cocktail recipes.

What can you use instead of elderflower liqueur?

If you don’t want to branch out into buying a bottle of St Germain yet, then you could try an elderflower cordial instead. This also reduces down the alcohol punch of the drink – whether that’s good or bad I leave up to you!

Now I haven’t tried these but a few suggestions as possible options to swap for elderflower include:

Lychee liqueur – this has that fruity but slightly floral taste Grand Marnier
Apple or pear liqueur – both of these have a similar type of taste to elderflower so could work
Grand Marnier – this is a type of triple sec so will be more orange flavoured but could work

You may also find elderflower syrup in the shops. This is likely to be sweeter than a liqueur so add carefully to avoid over-sweetening the drink.

What you need to make Blackberry Basil cocktail

8-10 large fresh or frozen blackberries
3 T. fresh basil, torn
¼ c. honey, preferably local
¼ c. water
4 oz. Elderflower liqueur (optional)
1 750 ml bottle Prosecco, chilled

Garnish: (optional but nice!)

Fresh blackberries
Sprigs of fresh basil

How to make the recipe

STEP 1: Add the blackberries, basil, honey, and water to a small saucepan set over medium heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture is heated through and starts to thicken approximately 4-5 minutes. Gently press on blackberries while heating to release juices.

STEP 2: Remove from heat and strain mixture through a fine mesh strainer to remove solids. Reserve remaining liquid and set aside to cool.

STEP 3: If using, divide the Elderflower liqueur among four champagne flutes, along with a drizzle of the blackberry simple syrup. Finish by topping off each glass with some chilled Prosecco.

STEP 4: Garnish each glass with 2-3 fresh blackberries and a sprig of fresh basil, if desired, before serving.

Storing the recipe

After cooking (syrup): You can store any unused syrup in an airtight container in the fridge for around 5 days. Make sure it is completely chilled beforehand.

Recipe tips

You can definitely use frozen blackberries in this recipe. Let them defrost and save any juice as this will add to the flavour of the syrup. Try with different berries for a new taste such as raspberries or strawberries. Any berry will bring its own flavour to the drink and the basic recipe can be the same. You can also try testing different liqueurs with the fruits to find ones that work well together.

6 drinks