Cotogna’s Aperol Fizz from Serious Eats
Egg whites add a lovely foam and velvety texture to cocktails. It’s like your cocktail is wearing a jaunty white cap! Eggs are a little tricky to use, but totally worth it. I love how a cocktail made with egg white is both light and creamy at the same time.
Here are few tips on how to do it, and then some delicious recipes to try!
Tips for using egg whites in cocktails:
- Here is a nifty trick for separating the white and yolk using a water bottle.
- “Dry shake” first. This means putting all the ingredients in a shaker without ice and shaking for about 10 seconds.
- Then add ice and shake again. Shake long and hard! The shaker will feel absolutely freezing in your hands, but with the egg you need to shake for longer than usual … at least 30 seconds.
- Be really sure you’ve sealed the shaker well, so the lid doesn’t shoot off. There’s some pressure in there!
- Use good, fresh eggs. I use eggs from a friend’s chickens or a local farm with pristine conditions. So I’m not worried about salmonella risk. If you are worried, use pasteurized eggs.
- Always garnish the top of the foam with bitters or citrus oil. This isn’t just for their flavor. Egg whites don’t smell that great, so something aromatic make the drink more appealing.
Try these delightful recipes:
Silver Fizz ~ With gin, sugar, lemon, and a little soda, it’s like a Tom Collins with a fluffy head. This could be one of the oldest egg white cocktail recipes.
Pisco Sour ~ Made with pisco, a Peruvian spirit, this is a velvety and slightly tart drink that’s so smooth you can easily forget how many you’ve had.
Aperol Fizz ~ This is an egged-up take on an Aperol Spritz. The egg gives it a little lift and a nice creaminess, for a bittersweet and refreshing cocktail.
Melisse Whiskey Sour ~ You might have noticed that taking a classic “sour” drink and adding egg whites makes a whole new foamy version of the original. If you like whiskey sours, you may love one that has a little pillow of egg white on top.
Carmen Miranda ~ For something a little more elaborate and unexpected, this drink combines orgeat (almond syrup), cantaloupe juice, rum, and mint with the egg white for an unusual tropical flavor.
If it all sounds a bit complicated, here’s a quick video that shows you how to do it. It’s not that hard … just a little different than the usual.
