Charred Pineapple Ginger Tiki mocktail recipe
Caramelised pineapple, fresh ginger and lime give this tropical rocks drink real depth.
Method: Shake · Glass: Ceramic tiki mug · Time: 15 minutes · Difficulty: Intermediate
Ingredients
- 2 oz charred pineapple juice
- ½ oz fresh ginger juice
- ¾ oz fresh lime juice
- ½ oz allspice-cinnamon syrup
- to fill crushed ice
How to make it
- Sear a thick fresh pineapple ring in a dry, very hot pan until both sides carry dark caramelised marks; cool it completely.
- Blend or press the cooled pineapple, then strain out the fibrous pieces.
- Shake the pineapple juice with ginger juice, lime, allspice-cinnamon syrup and ice for 12 seconds.
- Double strain into a chilled ceramic tiki mug packed with fresh crushed ice.
- Garnish with the charred pineapple and candied ginger.
Garnish
A charred pineapple spear and a narrow piece of candied ginger
Why this balance works
Raw pineapple can be sunny but one-dimensional. Charring changes that by adding a roasted edge and concentrating some of its sweetness, so the drink does not need much syrup. Lime keeps the fruit from becoming heavy, while ginger provides a sharper middle note. The spice syrup should sit in the background. If you can identify cinnamon before pineapple on the first sip, use less next time.
Technique to keep
The char is not decoration. Start with a truly hot, dry pan and leave the pineapple alone long enough to colour; moving it constantly steams it. Cool the fruit before mixing, because warm fruit will melt the shaking ice and blur the balance. Fine straining matters here as well: it gives you pineapple flavour without the hairy texture that makes a short rocks drink feel unfinished.
Related mocktails