As the festive season approaches, a renowned London restaurant has unveiled its secret to effortless holiday hosting: a batch-made cocktail designed to serve a crowd. La Petite Maison in London's W1 district has shared its 'Bikini' cocktail recipe, a premixed drink bursting with Christmas flavours that can be prepared in advance for parties.
The Festive Flavour Profile
This elegant creation is a symphony of seasonal tastes, designed to evoke the spirit of Christmas. The star of the show is a homemade clementine cordial, which brings a vibrant citrus sweetness, perfectly balanced by the tartness of fresh cranberries. The drink's name, 'Bikini', offers a playful contrast to its wintry flavour profile, suggesting a touch of escapism amidst the festive bustle.
Tibor Krascsenics, the Group Beverage Director for La Petite Maison, developed this recipe as a home-friendly version of a cocktail from their new menu. The beauty of this recipe lies in its practicality; it is a large-format premix that eliminates last-minute mixing when guests arrive.
Crafting the Clementine Cordial
The foundation of the Bikini cocktail is a rich, homemade cordial. The recipe yields approximately 750ml, requiring 300ml of fresh clementine juice, 200ml of fresh lemon juice, and 500g of caster sugar. These ingredients are combined in a saucepan, brought to a gentle boil while stirring to dissolve the sugar, then left to cool completely.
Once cooled, the cordial is decanted into a clean bottle and stored in the refrigerator, where it will keep for up to one month. Any excess cordial is a versatile kitchen asset, perfect for drizzling over breakfast dishes, enhancing desserts, or simply mixing with sparkling water.
Assembling the Party-Perfect Premix
To create the cocktail base for ten servings, you'll combine the spirits with the cordial. The specific ingredients for the 850ml premix are:
- 400ml of premium vodka (the restaurant recommends Ketel One)
- 100ml of London dry gin (they use Tanqueray)
- 150ml of peach liqueur (RinQuinQuin is their choice)
- 200ml of the freshly made clementine cordial
After pouring all the liquids into a large bottle, the mixture should rest for an hour before being strained through muslin for perfect clarity. This step ensures a beautifully smooth and professional-looking cocktail.
Serving with Style
When ready to serve, pour 85ml of the premix into a mixing glass filled with ice. Stir gently for about a minute to achieve the ideal chill without excessive dilution. Strain the mixture into a chilled martini glass.
The final festive touches are crucial. Garnish with fresh cranberries—La Petite Maison uses elegant cranberry caviar pearls for a sophisticated look. Just before presenting the drink, finish with a quick spritz of mandarin essential oil over the top, releasing a burst of aromatic citrus that elevates the entire experience.
This recipe from one of London's culinary hotspots demonstrates that impressive festive entertaining doesn't require constant effort behind the bar. With some simple preparation, hosts can enjoy their own celebrations with a signature, classy cocktail ready to pour.
