Gin and Tonic Lollies to welcome summer

Artisanal gin has taken the world by storm. Gin is a neutral-tasting spirit made from grain. The gin is then re-distilled with botanicals and a noticeable juniper flavour. It’s this juniper flavour and aroma that sets gin apart from vodka. I think it is with the flavour of juniper where the resemblances stop. Distillers are amazing in blending flavours like liquorice and citrus flavours to nutmeg and even fynbos. “Every single gin distillery claims its own secret recipe and technique to give their gin its depth of flavour, infusion of natural botanicals, character and story.”

Gin and Tonic Lollies

Makes eight

Ingredients

1 tin Schweppes bitter lemon
100 ml gin
600 ml tonic water
8 sticks of lemongrass – or wooden ice-cream sticks
Zest and juice of 2 limes
Extra lime slices

Method

Mix the bitter lemon, tonic water, lime zest and juice in a jug. Pour into eight individual moulds (plastic or wooden, as I have used). Freeze for about 30 minutes, then push the lime slices, wooden sticks or lemongrass into the lollies. This stops the slices dropping to the bottom. Freeze until hard.

Cook’s notes:

If these lollies are too sweet for you, use 50 g caster sugar and 100 ml water. Bring this to the boil, so that the sugar dissolves. Once cooled down, use this sugar syrup instead of the Schweppes Bitter lemon.

As much as you may want to, do not add more gin. Alcohol doesn’t freeze at this temperature, so adding more gin will give you slushy lollies that melt super fast.

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