NOW EXPERIENCING:Mixing with Jessica Nguyen: Pavlova Punch cocktail recipe
Cocktails|Big batch|Christmas|Fruity

Mixing with Jessica Nguyen: Pavlova Punch cocktail recipe

total time 10 MINS | serves 6 | standard drinks per serve 1.7 approx.

Read time 2 Mins

Posted 28 Apr 2022

By
Dan’s Daily


Jessica Nguyen with the festive Pavlova Punch

Inspired by the fluffy and fruity dessert, this layered cocktail will make your Christmas iconic, or become a great pick for whenever you’re feeling festive. 

About the cocktail

“This cocktail is inspired by Australian Christmas,” says home cook Jessica Nguyen. The pav is iconic and always has a space at the Christmas table, so why not turn it into a fun drink? In liquid form, this ode-to-dessert cocktail mimics the visual appeal of a pavlova as well as the taste. “It has the same fluffy, foamy and fruitiness,” says Jessica. “But it’s been scaled up into punch form so you can make it in advance, and it can be at the table so guests can serve themselves.”

The festive Christmas colours of this cocktail – red strawberries, green kiwi fruits – make it a visual centrepiece, so have it ready as a welcome drink when guests arrive, or bring it out at the end of the meal to go with your desserts.

Watch: How to make Pavlova Punch

Ingredients

  • 360mL Earl Grey tea
  • 2 kiwi fruits, sliced 
  • 2 passionfruits, pulp 
  • 6-10 strawberries
  • 15-24 mint leaves
  • 45mL bitters
  • 45mL maple syrup
  • 90mL lemon juice
  • 180mL cloudy apple juice
  • 270mL rum
  • Garnish: extra kiwi fruit slices, lemon slices and passionfruit pulp, plus grated nutmeg and castor sugar

Method

  1. Before preparing the punch, brew the tea. Steep three Earl Grey tea bags in 400mL of boiling water. If using loose leaf, follow weight instructions for desired volume (approx. 3 teaspoons)
  2. Add the fruit and mint leaves to a punch bowl or jug
  3. Pour in the rest of the ingredients, including your cooled Earl Grey tea
  4. Stir until all ingredients are thoroughly mixed
  5. Layer over the garnishing fruit slices as you would a pavlova, allowing it to float on the top
  6. Dust over sugar and a light grating of nutmeg
  7. When time to serve, add ice and ladle into glasses
  8. Add more ice and fruit from the bowl as needed

Jessica’s top tips

While this cocktail is inspired by a dessert, it isn’t a particularly sweet drink. “It’s more fresh and fizzy, and highly drinkable,” says Jessica. “With the rum, it’s adjacent to a Mojito. A real summery juice, and a true crowd-pleaser.”

Like with most things when hosting at home, preparation is key. Being able to pre-make this punch, complete with extra fruit sliced and ready for garnishing glasses and new batches, means this is an excellent choice for a crowd. 

Adding large blocks of ice only when you are ready to serve means the punch won’t sit around and lose its, well, punch. Dilution is the enemy here, so you could even consider leaving ice out of the punch altogether and simply dropping large cubes into people’s glasses when they’re ready for a glass.