Recipe shared by Rachael, Ancesister @ Ancestreats.
On a hot summer evening, is there anything better than sitting with a slushy refreshment to cool you off? Yes. You add bourbon to it. As a child, I enjoyed time-frozen moments while scraping down a cherry Italian ice* with a small flat wooden paddle and while biting into a shaved-ice soaked with blue, green, and red syrups. Now I can make a batch of adult slushies so that my friends and I may return for seconds, or thirds over the course of a relaxing summer evening. Essentially, this recipe is a granita laced with alcohol; a semi-frozen drink with an icy texture that glides between shaved ice and sorbet. Frozen overnight, this beverage is attended to a few times in the hours before serving. The preparation generates a child-like anticipation that enhances the pay-off of slowly drinking it while holding it in a heavy cool glass. You can make this for a crowd pleasing party punch. Keep an eye on the guests because the slush goes down easy. Drink responsibly.
Bourbon Punch Slushies
Ingredients
For approximately 14 servings
- 1 (12 oz.) can frozen lemonade (cherry, lime or cranberry would substitute nicely)
- 1 (12 oz.) can frozen orange juice
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups brewed black tea (2 cups water + 4 teabags)
- 6 cups water
- 2 cups bourbon whiskey
- 1 bottle club soda
- Lime wheels for garnish
Directions
Into a saucepan, make simple syrup by boiling the sugar with 1 cup water; then pour it into a large mixing bowl. Into the same saucepan (don’t bother washing it out), boil 2 cups water then seep the teabags in it: long and strong. Meanwhile, into the belly of a blender glass, empty out the frozen juice concentrates. Swish 2 cups of water through each concentrate container and pour that water into the blender. Run the motor for a few seconds until mixed and frothy. Pour into large mixing bowl. Pour the remaining cup of water into the blender, run it to “clean” the sides and blades, and then pour contents into the mixing bowl. Squeeze out the teabags into the saucepan and pour the tea into the mixing bowl. Add the bourbon. Use a long-handled spoon and gently mix all liquids together. Transfer either to one large 20-cup or two 8-cup shallow plastic storage containers (use the covers to avoid splashing the sticky mess in your freezer).
Place containers in the freezer. After 6-8 hours, give a stir with a fork, making sure to pull off any formed crystals from sides of the container. Freeze overnight. In the morning give another stir. The alcohol should have prevented it from solidifying completely, and you have created a granita-like texture by messing up the forming crystals.
To serve, use a large stainless spoon head, potato masher, or sturdy fork to break up and stir again into slushy consistency. Place scoops of the frozen delight into glass tumblers, and top off with club soda and a twist of lime.
Learn More
*Italian Ice is a frozen dessert made by mixing water with fruit concentrate, juice or puree, then processing it like ice cream; freezing the ingredients while mixing them together.
On the Wiki, we read that punch is a loanword from the Hindi language: panch (meaning five). The drink was originally made using five ingredients: alcohol, sugar, lemon, water and tea or spices. The original drink was named paantsch, and made its way from India to England by sailors and employees of the British East India Company in the early seventeenth century. As trends are introduced by enthusiasts, so it was with punch into the other European countries. The rest is more history.
On another note, you will see that this recipe calls for bourbon, a whisky spirit made in the United States, most often in Kentucky, and from a minimum content of 51% Maize (Indian corn). You, however, can substitute any whisky in this recipe. Since it is a mixed cocktail, there is really no need for highbrow spirits: go for the well liquor, aka the cheapest available. Around the world, distilleries are producing similar forms of matured grain spirit, so make your available substitution without hesitation, and enjoy.
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