A Very Cherry Christmas Cocktail

Mmmmmm cherries.... The quintessential summer fruit. Whizz together with a few other key ingredients (of the liquor sort) and I think I may be in heaven.

Cherry & Lime Whiskey Cocktails
Makes approximately 12 drinks

680g jar preserved cherries, including the syrup
1/4 cup sugar
4 limes, juice and zest (peeled into thick strips)
1/4 cup whiskey (if not your cup of tea, use rum or vodka and subsquently change the title of the cocktail)
Mint leaves
Ice, crushed or cubed
2 bottles of champagne/ sparkling wine

1. Boil the cherries and sugar until fruit softens. This takes around 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool
2. Blend the cherries until smooth and strain. Make sure to work the fruit through the sieve to get out as much of the juice as you can. You will be left with a velvety thin sauce.
3. Combine the cherry juice, lime juice, zest strips and whiskey/rum/vodka and stir well to combine.
4. Put about 2 shots of this mixture into the bottom of a glass and top with champagne. Add ice and garnish with mint leaves and stripy straws.

Recipe interpreted from Our Kitchen