Passion Fruit Caipiroska – Muddled limes, passion fruit pulp, simple syrup, vodka and lots of crushed ice. A light, flavourful and refreshing cocktail.

As summer ends in my part of the world, I send it off with a cocktail that brings the flavours of the tropics.

With its sweet-tart flavours, passion fruits have been one my favourites this summer. They are delicious and aromatic. Each fruit yields a small amount of pulp and seed, however it goes a long way in adding flavour.

Here's why I love this cocktail

It is easy to make. No special cocktail making equipment is needed and it comes together in 5 minutes.

This cocktail is light and refreshing.

It is perfect for entertaining. You can whip up a big-batch of this cocktail in advance.

Ingredients you will need for the Passion Fruit Caipiroska

Lime– Freshly squeezed lime juice is best. Choose a lime that is ripe and feels soft when squeezed. I use half a lime cut into wedges per drink.

Passion fruit– Fresh passion fruit is preferable when making this cocktail however, if this isn’t available in your region use passion fruit puree.

Simple syrup: Made with equal amounts of sugar and water.

Vodka– You can use either regular or flavoured vodka.

Crushed ice: Keeps the cocktail cool and refreshing.

How to make a Caipiroska

Cut the lime into wedges. I used half per cocktail.

Put the wedges into a glass.

Add sugar syrup and muddle the limes to extract the juice and release oils from the skin.

Scoop passion fruit pulp and add it to your glass.

Add vodka and give it a good stir. Top with crushed ice and stir

Taste the drink and add more sugar syrup if needed.

Tips for making this cocktail

Pick passion fruit that are plump, firm and heavy. If your passion fruit is smooth and round like a ball when bought, then it under ripe. Passion fruit is more ripe when it appears all wrinkly. Leave them on your counter for 3-7 days to ripen. This will allow the sugars and flavours to develop more.

Passion fruit can be quite tart, so if like me you have a sweet tooth, add more simple syrup to your taste.

In place of fresh passion fruit, you can use passion fruit juice or puree. If using the juice, omit the simple syrup as the juice is sweet enough to sweeten the cocktail.

If crushed ice isn’t readily available to you, make your own by placing ice cubes in a Lewis Bag . Then pound with a mallet to crush. You can also place ice cubes in a clean lint free tea towel, wrap the towel around it and pound with a rolling pin to crush.

For more cocktail recipes check these out :

Strawberry Vodka Mojito
Rosé Spritzer
Blueberry Whiskey Smash Cocktail
Frozen Strawberry Basil Daiquiri