Three icy cocktails to keep you cool during the heatwave

Does a watermelon frozé, blackberry bramble, or a chilly glass of sangria tickle your fancy in this sweaty weather?

These chilly drinks will keep you cool throughout the weekend. Picture: iStock

It’s a well-known fact that when the sun comes out in Ireland, so does our thirst. From cold pints to chilly glasses wine, nothing quite calls for cocktail hour than an Irish summer's day.

Here are three icy cocktail recipes to cure your cravings and help you cool down as the heatwave continues.

Watermelon Frozé

Frozen rosé is a perfect summer treat.

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 3 hours 0 mins

Total Time

 3 hours 10 mins

Course

 Dessert

Ingredients

• 375ml rosé

• ½ a watermelon, chopped

• Two tbsp caster sugar

• Juice of one lemon

Method

1. Blend the rosé with the watermelon pieces, lemon juice, and sugar.

2. Pour into an ice tray and place into the freezer. Allow to freeze for at least three hours or overnight. 

3. Then blend again, pour into four glasses and top with fresh mint leaves to serve.

Leslie Williams’ blackberry bramble

This blackberry gin cocktail works best with gins that are less sweet.

Servings

1

Cooking Time

 5 mins

Total Time

 5 mins

Course

 Dessert

Ingredients

• 50 ml of gin (we like Glendalough Gin for this one)

• Three tablespoons of blackberries

• 25 ml of simple syrup

• Juice of half a lemon

• Ice

• Optional: splash of tonic water

Method

1. If you don’t have sugar syrup on hand, start by melting 300 grams of sugar in 300ml of water and letting it cool in the fridge.

2. Muddle the blackberries with a spoon and add to a cocktail shaker with the gin, sugar syrup, lemon juice, and a scoop of ice. Shake and pour over crushed ice.

3. Top with tonic if using and a slice of lemon.

Classic and dressed up sangria

Replace brandy with Licor 43 if you can find it for a real Spanish twist.

Servings

6

Preparation Time

 30 mins

Total Time

 30 mins

Course

 Dessert

Ingredients

• One bottle of Spanish red wine, like Rioja

• ¼ cup of brandy

• 25ml lemon juice

• A variety of fruit (oranges, peaches, raspberries, and strawberries work best)

• Ice

• Optional: dash of simple syrup

Method

1. Chop up whatever fruit you are using and put it in a large jug with ice. Pour in wine, brandy, lemon juice, and a spoon of sugar or sugar syrup if you really want to amp up the sweetness. Chill for at least 30 minutes - the longer the better, and serve in chilled glasses with more ice.

2. If you can get your hands on it, replace the brandy with 35ml of Licor 43, a popular Spanish sweet liqueur made from Mediterranean fruits and herbs with vanilla and caramel flavours. If dressing up your Sangria this way, channel your inner mixologist and add five dashes of Angostura Bitters to the mix too.

3. If you’re not feeling the red wine, replace it with a white and swap brandy for Cointreau or Grand Marnier.