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Clarified Milk Punch Recipe

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PREP TIME 180 min

Cocktail Type

Cognac

Great for

Christmas

Difficulty

Hard

JUMP TO RECIPE

Every now and again it’s nice to serve up a complete showstopper of a drink – that’s when we like to lean into the Clarified Milk Punch recipe. Fair warning, it’s a tough one to achieve. In fact, if you do it the right way, it takes around three days! However, it’s so spectacular that it’s 100% worth the effort.

Of course, when a drink requires this amount of sheer scientific trickery, you really have no other choice than to make it in bulk, so this recipe serves twelve. Here’s how you make the magic!

QUICK TIPS

This cocktail is a labour of love – view it as a challenge & get some friends involved

It will keep in the fridge for up to a week, so big batches work well

Makes a great (and impressive) gift for cocktail lovers

INGREDIENTS

MAKE FOR

8 Persons

480 Ml

16 Oz

16 Parts

Bisquit & Dubouche cognac

480 Ml

16 Oz

16 Parts

Appleton Estate rum

240 Ml

8 Oz

8 Parts

Arrack (or Cachaça)

480 Ml

16 Oz

16 Parts

pineapple juice

6 lemons juiced, 2 zested per batch

2 cups granulated sugar per batch

6 cloves per batch

20 coriander seeds per batch

1 stick cinnamon per batch

480 Ml

16 Oz

16 Parts

strong, brewed green tea

960 Ml

32 Oz

32 Parts

boiling water

960 Ml

32 Oz

32 Parts

whole milk

Freshly grated nutmeg for garnish (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine the lemon zest, cloves, coriander, and cinnamon with the cognac, rum, and Arrack in a large container, and let it sit overnight to infuse

The next day, strain and discard the solids

Add the sugar, pineapple juice, lemon juice, green tea, and boiling water to the spirits mixture, and stir until the sugar has fully dissolved

Bring the milk to a slow simmer in a large saucepan over medium heat

As soon as the milk starts to simmer, remove it from the heat and pour it into a large container

Pour the spirits mixture into the container with the heated milk (NOT the other way around) – it should begin to curdle almost immediately.

Allow the mixture to cool and leave in the fridge (ideally overnight)

Strain the mixture through a jelly strainer bag or white cotton T-shirt (cheesecloth absorbs too much) – add it all at once and let it drain at its own pace

Repeat the process slowly and carefully (it will be worth it!) until the clarity is where you want it – the more you strain it, the clearer the liquid will become

To serve, pour over ice and serve, garnished with a grating of nutmeg if desired

History of the Milk Punch Cocktail

The Clarified Milk Punch cocktail has a super cool backstory. Get this; according to drink-related folklore, the recipe for milk punch was invented by a 17th-century female spy! Aphra Behn was a secret agent for King Charles II, as well as a celebrated playwright and poet. Plus, the lady loved to host a good party with plenty of theatrical eats and treats. Cue the science-forward holiday milk punch recipe that is somehow clear even though it contains milk.

However, it must be said that this impressive tale, as with many great stories, has a less fantastical version, which is more than likely the truer story. See, according to a very fastidious researcher (bless his cotton socks) the Clarified Milk Punch recipe was first penned by housewife Mary Rockett around 1711. If so, good on her, but we’ll be sticking to the more fanciful version of the story if you don’t mind.

Why is Milk Punch clear?

Of course, not all cocktails that contain milk are clear. There is a straightforward version of Milk Punch that is often enjoyed around the holidays, and ultra-creamy dessert-like cocktails like the Bushwacker. The reason why Clarified Milk Punch is clear has to do with the chemical reaction between the alcohol, acid (lemon juice) and milk.

The tomfoolery happens when the mixture is passed through a filter. This is when the curds settle at the bottom, forming a little nest, and the milk proteins (AKA casein) do the work of stripping the liquid of both its colour and tannins. The result is a sweet, spicy, velvety-smooth drink that is very easy (some might say too easy) to drink.

You might also like: The Best After Dinner Cocktails to End Your Evening

Is Eggnog the same as Milk Punch?

No, Eggnog and Milk Punch are two very different drinks. Although the unclarified version of Milk Punch has a similar flavour profile, Eggnog is made using a batter. In short, while they both share a creamy, Christmas-spice vibe, each call for an entirely different approach.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

If you follow the age-old recipe to a T, it will take around three days to make a Clarified Milk Punch. On the first day, you imbue the liquor with the flavour of the spices; on the second day you combine it with the rest of the ingredients (including boiling water) and allow it to cool overnight. On the third day, you carefully strain it up to 4 or 5 times to get the clarity exactly where you want it. It’s a labour of love.