Pop mabhodlela, pop champagne this New Year’s Eve with these bubbly cocktail recipes

Bubbly cocktail recipes. Picture: Julia Larson from Pexels

Bubbly cocktail recipes. Picture: Julia Larson from Pexels

Published Dec 29, 2021

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Is it even New Year’s without some celebratory fizz?

Think about every festive occasion you have attended over the years, and bubbly is probably the drink of choice for many of the guests attending the party.

I was watching the latest season of “Emily In Paris”, and they reminded me how bubbly is a fun beverage, one that should be enjoyed whether by drinking or simply just spraying it like they do on the F1 podium.

A scene from ’Emily In Paris’ season 2. Picture: Netflix

In light of it being party season and everyone excited to toast to a new year, why not take it a step further and have fun trying these bubbly recipes for your friends?

Whether it’s Prosecco, Cava, MCC or Champagne, all bubbles can be made even more special by using them as a base for cocktails.

We gave you our picks for the best bubbly of the festive season, which you can read here.

Now it’s time for those New Year’s party appropriate bubbly cocktails

Death in the Afternoon (Serves 1)

Death in the Afternoon. Picture: Supplied

Is a cocktail made up of absinthe and Champagne invented by world-renowned author Ernest Hemingway. Fairly simple to make, the recipe's original instructions appear in a 1935 cocktail book and were contributed to Hemingway himself.

Ingredients

30ml (2 tablespoons) absinthe

1 teaspoon simple syrup

120ml (½ cup) Sparkling Wine

Method

Pour the absinthe and simple syrup into a cocktail glass or champagne flute

Top it off with the sparkling wine.

French 75

French 75. Picture: Supplied

Dating back to 1915, this cocktail was first made at the landmark New York Bar in Paris, and the combination was said to have a real kick by locals of the bar. Using a rose adds a lighter and colourful twist to this classic cocktail.

Ingredients

45ml Gin

15ml of lemon juice

7ml of simple syrup (Make simple syrup with equal parts hot water and sugar)

Sparkling Rosé

Lemon for garnishing

Method

Measure the gin, lemon juice and simple syrup with the jigger and pour into the mixing glass of the cocktail mixer.

Cover mixture with ice and shake for 8-10 seconds.

Strain with a cocktail strainer and pour into a champagne flute and top with Sparkling Rosé.

To Serve

Serve in a champagne flute and garnish with a peel of lemon.

Champagne and Gin Cocktail (Serves 1)

Julian Short's Winter and Gin Cocktail. Picture: Samantha Slabbert

Ingredients

50ml Gin

50ml Fresh Pear Juice

20ml honey syrup (1:1 - 1 part honey - 1 part water)

Sparkling Wine

Method

Mix gin, juice and syrup in a cocktail shaker

Pour in a champagne flute

Top with the sparkling wine

Garnish with a sprig of Rosemary.

Classic Champagne Cocktail

There is no better way to ring in the new year than with a toast over a flute of bubbly. Picture: Andrew Barrow

Ingredients

1 sugar cube

2-3 dashes of Angostura aromatic bitters

Champagne or MCC

Lemon, peeled

Method

Add one sugar cube.

Add two-to-three dashes of Angostura aromatic bitters.

Top glass with champagne.

Garnish with a lemon peel.

For More Festive Recipes, Please Check Out The Latest IOL Food magazine