Wild Hibiscus Champagne Cocktails

A couple of weeks back now we had some friends over for dinner, as is customary, they of course brought along a few drinks. Included, buried in the bottom of the esky was an old bottle of cheap sparkling wine that they’d had lying around for ages.

On first taste, as no one was really that taken with it, I decided it would be a good time to get out the jar of Wild Hibiscus flowers in syrup that I had in the cupboard so as to turn some very average sparkling wine into some truly outstanding cocktails.

So, how are they made, well it couldn’t be easier. Take a teaspoon and transfer one of the flowers from the jar to each champagne glass.

After putting the flower in the glass add a teaspoon or two of the syrup from the jar as well. At this point, if you like a sweet drink you can optionally add a teaspoon full of sugar as well. I normally don’t do this though as I feel that there is enough sugar in the syrup.

Fill the glass with champagne. The idea is that when the glass is filled, bubbles will form on and inside the flower and will cause them to open up before your very eyes. As the flowers are completely edible, after you have finished the champagne you can then eat it so as to fully appreciate the rhubarb and raspberry flavours. Truth be known though, the opening up effect is only very subtle and as such I wouldn’t make too much of it.

In this case, we used the sweet rhubarb and raspberry flavours to rescue some pretty average bubby. Obviously, the better the champagne or sparkling wine the better the flavour outcome of the final drink will be. That’s it, one of the simplest cocktails you can make that will be sure to impress.

It only takes: 5 min to make too.

If you’d like any more information on the Wild Hibiscus Flowers such as where you can get them you will find it on our Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup ingredient page.