Cranberry + Brown Sugar Mojito

The perfect Christmassy cocktail – crisp, with a warming brown- sugar-rum glow. Lovely finished with a grating of nutmeg.

Serves 10
10 limes, each cut into 8 wedges
200g cranberries
A small bunch of mint, leaves picked
10 tbsp demerara sugar
A big bag of ice
500ml good quality dark rum
1 litre soda water

Prepare each tumbler with a wedge of lime, a few cranberries, a pinch of mint leaves and 1 tablespoon of demerara sugar. You can do all of this beforehand and store the glasses in
the fridge until you’re ready.

Use a cocktail muddler (or, if you don’t have one, the end of a rolling pin) to gently squash the lime, cranberries and mint together in the glass, until all of the juice has been pressed out and the sugar starts to dissolve.

Take the bag of ice out of the freezer, then cover with a tea towel and give it a good bash with a rolling pin until it’s all crushed. Fill each glass with the ice.

Pour 50ml rum into each glass and top with soda water. Use a stirrer to swizzle the whole lot together, so the rum and all the goodness at the bottom gets thoroughly mixed.

Serve with sprigs of mint.

IMAGE: Jonathan Gregson