Cocktails perfect for bonfire night that will ensure your evening goes off with a bang

This week Kathryn of Kat’s Cocktail Bar is taking us through cocktail recipes that are befitting of Bonfire Night. If you’ve got friends and/or family coming round for Bonfire Night then ensure that the adults have fun too with these delicious cocktail treats.

With two recipes for this week’s cocktail column, Kat’s Cocktail Bar has some real treats in store…

Kathryn Wheel

My winter treat has always been a chocolate orange. To this day my mother puts one in my stocking (yes, I still get a stocking) and the warmth and richness is perfect inspiration for a bonfire night cocktail. 

That said, I’m not a BIG chocolate fan, and so I wanted to create something that had a nice lift of citrus to balance out the smooth sweetness, and just because it’s fun I’ve gone for fizzy apple. If you go fizzy too, keep a tight hold on the cocktail shaker as it might try and go flying like a real firework! 

My favourite firework as a child was the Catherine Wheel so the name is a play on something close to my heart. It’s also a nod to the lemon wheel – I highly recommend dehydrated fruit for its longevity and style (solid stays still!) but fresh works. 

Ingredients:

• 50ml London dry gin
• 60ml sparkling (still is fine!) apple juice
• 20ml chocolate orange sauce
• 25ml lemon juice
• Garnish with lemon wheel  

Method:

To make, place all ingredient over in a cocktail shaker, shake thoroughly until cold (normally 15 seconds) and pour over ice into long glasses. Garnish with your lemon wheel and enjoy what I hope will be a real banger.

Bourbon Bonfire

To me, the smell of a bonfire is one of the best in the world, and it always signals the arrival of autumn. Wrapping up warm against a chill in the air, gloved hands held out over the flames, waving sparklers and – my absolute favourite even to this day – toasting marshmallows.

It’s the marshmallows that made we want to make this cocktail. The smokiness of the bourbon and whisky takes the campfire feel all the way, however, as there’s only the smallest amount of the scotch it’s not too challenging if smoky whisky isn’t normally your thing (and it isn’t mine…) 

Certain to keep you warm against the cold, I hope you enjoy this autumn special. 

Ingredients

• 50ml Bourbon 
• 5ml malt whisky 
• 25ml marshmallow syrup

For the syrup (to make 2-6 drinks)

• 25g marshmallows 
• 50g caster sugar 

Method:

To make the syrup, boil the marshmallows with 150ml water. Once they have dissolved (they go quickly so watch them closely!), add the sugar and stir to dissolve this until fully combined. Leave to cool. 

To make the cocktail stir all ingredients over ice and serve with a toasted marshmallow (optional, but it really does add a wonderful smokiness to the drink).