The Milk Punch Project – If you like Pina Colada ♬
Milk clarification is an old cocktail technique made hipster again. The technique was used to keep the punch without cooling. Another reason was to remove astringent ingredients from the spirits and make them rounder and easily digestible.
Basically, this process is no longer necessary with today’s quality standards, but it is very practical to prepare and dispose of larger quantities. In the case of the Pina Colada, it is especially the element of surprise when you get a crystal-clear mixture instead of a creamy combination.
Pina Colada does not have a good reputation for cocktail enthusiasts but enjoys great popularity. Especially in the 80s, the drink caused a sensation as a lush cream bomb. However, cream is nowhere to be found in this drink, it is a mix of fresh pineapple juice, rum and coconut cream. Since 1978 Pina Colada has officially been the national drink of Puerto Rico. There are several tales about its exact birthplace but what everyone can agree on is that it was some time in the mid-1950s or early 1960s.
Let’s be clear again
I heated a bit of coconut oil in a pan and roasted some cloves, a cinnamon stick, coriander, cardamom capsules and some star anise. After that, I mixed the spices with a rum from Barbados. To sweeten the mix, I cooked my own pandan syrup (1:1 sugar and water, 6 pandan leaves). For extra freshness I used coconut water.
My recipe:
400 ml Rum
40 ml Aquavit
300 ml Coconut water
200 ml Pineapple Juice
40 ml Pandan syrup
40 ml rice vinegar
250 ml Full fat milk and a shot of heavy cream, to give a nice texture
Same procedure as always: Punch in the milk, resting time 24 hours, straining process 4 times. This is a perfect drink for clarification and a rejuvenating treatment for a heavy drink. I used some full fat milk for the texture. Serve with dried coconut or a pinch of nutmeg.
