Spring Cocktails | The Strawberry Smash

Aldi recently sent me some spirits from their award winning range and invited me to put my creative spin on one of their latest Spring cocktail recipes. Inspired by N bringing home the juiciest punnet of strawberries I’ve ever seen at the weekend, I give to you the refreshing (and slightly lethal) Spring sensation: Gin and Prosecco Strawberry Smash!

This cocktail is loosely based upon Aldi’s gin based recipe Blackberry Smash (full recipe here) but I’ve upped the ante by combining it with my favourite tipple: Prosecco.

The sweetness of the strawberries and fizz is given a refreshing kick with lemon, lime and fresh mint to make it all rather moreish. And it’s called a Strawberry Smash because of the how you make the syrup, which is all part of the fun!

Make up a jug full and share it with friends and family in the garden for a very lazy, happy Sunday. Alternatively if you’re reading this whilst the April showers do their worst, rustle up a glassful, close your eyes and take a sip… you’ll soon be dreaming of tropical islands!

Variations

This cocktail is geared towards my sweet tooth. If you prefer your white wine spritzers with tonic water instead of lemonade then you might want to swop the Prosecco for tonic water or go half and half.

Strawberry Smash with Gin and Prosecco

Ingredients (serves 1)

• 6 strawberries
• 1 lemon
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 lime
• 50ml gin (I used Oliver Cromwell Dry London Gin*)
• 1 glass Prosecco (I used Valdobbiadene Prosecco Spumante DOCG*)
• 6 mint leaves
• Ice cubes

Directions

• Juice the lemon and add this to a saucepan. Add the same amount of sugar (approx 3 tbsps but basically enough to cover the lemon juice) and stir the mixture over a low heat until it’s all dissolved.
• Hull 6 strawberries, then slice 3 of these into halves and put these to one side. Using a muddler, pestle and mortar or the end of a rolling pin smash the remaining 3 strawberries into a pulp. Strain this into your sugar mix and stir through, then transfer the syrup to the refridgerator to cool.
• Fill a glass with icecubes, then add 1 tablespoon of the fruit syrup, the juice of one lime wedge and the gin.
• Add the sliced strawberries and the mint leaves, then top with prosecco.
• Garnish with another strawberry and a sprig of mint.

Thanks Aldi for spreading Spring inspiration and giving me an excuse to drink lots of lovely Prosecco. This weekend I’ll be making up some mango bellinis with the rest of the bottle – I can’t wait!

If you try this recipe make sure to take a picture and tag me on Instagram or Twitter @lovedbylaurac – I’d love to see! 

Looking for more Spring cocktail ideas? Try these:

For the chardonnay lovers: White Sangria | For more fizz: Prosecco Thyme