To ring in the 12 Days of Christmas this year, we’ve asked a dozen top bartenders across the country for their favorite holiday drinks. We’ll be featuring a new cocktail here on the blog every day.
This recipe makes enough of the apple-cinnamon infusion to make about two dozen drinks, so you can cut the recipe in half in you’re not serving a crowd.
Heir Apparent
For the apple-cinnamon infusion:
1 bottle (750 ml) apple eau de vie
1 cup (8 fl. oz./250 ml) simple syrup
12 cinnamon sticks
3/4 oz. (25 ml) Laird’s apple brandy
1/3 oz. (10 ml) fresh lemon juice
Dash of cardamom bitters
Prosecco as needed
To make the apple-cinnamon infusion, in a pitcher, stir together the eau de vie, simple syrup and cinnamon sticks. Let sit at room temperature for about 24 hours, then strain. Discard the cinnamon sticks and transfer the liquid to a clean jar. The mixture will keep for up to month, covered, in the refrigerator.
To assemble the drink, in a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine the brandy, lemon juice and 1 1/4 oz. (35 ml) of the apple-cinnamon infusion. Shake vigorously and strain into a coupe. Add the bitters and top off the glass with Prosecco. Serve immediately. Makes 1 drink.
Eamon Rockey, general manager, Betony, New York, NY
