The pornstar martini cocktail, it’s quite a name, and I knew that I had to try it when I first heard of it. With such a name in tow, I was sure that the drink would blow my mind and boy, was I right! It’s quite simple really.
In one hand, you will have passion fruit and vodka mixed drinks, and in the other, you have champagne. Put these fantastic drinks together, and you have a cocktail that will have you beaming for hours on end. Not only does this martini give you a warm buzz upon the first sip but it also has a beautiful look accompanied with rich tropical flavors.
It doesn’t take much time to figure out why it has fast grown to be a favorite in bars, homes and all other places. And of course, the name helps. If you see this on the menu, the chances are high that you’ll want to see what makes it a pornstar. I know I did and that’s how I came across this pornstar martini recipe.
How to Make a Pornstar Martini
People have varying ways in which they concoct this drink, and I have tried a number of them. I will share one of the simplest ways to get it right, and once you get the hang of things, you can make your variations. However, before making any changes, be sure to read the tips section on how to get the most out of any cocktail.
Pornstar Martini Ingredients
- Fifty milliliters of vanilla vodka
- Twenty milliliters of passion fruit liqueur
- Fifty milliliters of champagne
- Fifty milliliters of passion fruit puree
- Vanilla sugar
- Passionfruit
- Ice cubes
For the equipment, you will require:
- A coupette glass
- A jigger
- A shot glass
- A strainer
- A bar spoon
- A Boston shaker
Variations
If you don’t have cocktail equipment and are on a budget, here are some substitutions that will come in handy and you can get these items in your cabinet.
For the jigger, you can easily use an egg cup. A thermos flask can take the place of the cocktail shaker, and you can use a teaspoon in place of a mixing spoon. A tea strainer will work just as well as a filter. Over time, you should consider getting the proper equipment as your cocktails will taste better as a result.
It can be quite hard to get vanilla vodka and if you can’t get your hands on it, you can always substitute it with vanilla syrup and standard vodka. These two ingredients, when mixed in the right proportions, are sure to give you the same result that you would get from the original version.
Directions
Get all the ingredients ready as well as the equipment. Start by adding the puree, liqueur, and vodka to the shaker. Next, add the sugar and ice and give the mixture a thorough shake before straining the mix into a coupette glass.
Proceed to cut the passion fruit in half and place one piece in the drink. Sprinkle the top of the fruit with some sugar before pouring in a shot of champagne. Just like that, your drink is ready. It’s pretty easy to get it right even on the first try.
Origin
Douglas Ankrah was a legend when it came to innovating cocktails and drinks, and when he came up with the pornstar martini, people were eager to see how good it was. That was back in 2002 at The Townhouse Bar in London. People took to it immediately, and the love for the drink spread with ease as it gained recognition in other establishments such as the Lab Bar.
Luckily for people who love cocktails, you can always get a copy of Ankrah’s work on the same as he has documented his recipes in a book. I will be sure to get it one of these days to get more insights on other drinks.
The Mocktail Version
It could be that you don’t take alcohol or you are looking to take a break for a while. In this case, you can always enjoy a non-alcoholic version of the pornstar martini. All you need to do is to replace the passion fruit liqueur with passion fruit juice and the vanilla vodka with vanilla sugar syrup.
The results will be just as good, and the only thing you will miss out on is the buzz. You can also replace the bubbly with some non-alcoholic versions and create a pornstar martini version of your own. There is no reason why you should miss out on this fun drink.
Tips On Nailing This Recipe
Have you ever followed a recipe only to find that your cocktail was not as good as the original one? If this has happened to you, rest assured that you are not alone. During the first and even subsequent tries, it is quite easy to make mistakes that affect the results adversely.
The key lies in incorporating some tips which will have your martini tasting like that which you would get at your favorite bar. Here are some of the tips I swear by when it comes to the pornstar martini. They also come in handy in other cocktails so be sure to use them in other recipes. That said, let’s get started.
Quality is key
When making a cocktail, it is not always that you will have enough money to splurge on the ingredients and this is quite understandable. However, you should note that the results that you get from different liquors will differ based on quality.
If you make a cocktail today using a top-shelf brand and try making the same cocktail tomorrow, all things held constant, with a bottom shelf brand, you will realize that the cocktail’s quality heavily relies on the drink in play.
Most cocktails you will come across use liquor as the main ingredient, and that’s why it matters so much. However, this is not to say that you have to break the bank to impress your friends with your bartending skills. I have come to see that brands that are mid-range priced tend to be the best for cocktails.
Try many options, and you’ll be sure to find what you love most. In the holidays, you can go all in and get a pricey brand which will give you results that will have you buzzed for days.
Go Fresh
When it comes to the ingredients, you are better off going with what is fresh on the market. While you can always buy packaged ingredients and put off making your own, you will find that the tastes vary to a great extent. If you plan on making this martini the next day, be sure to visit the market and get something that is fresh from the garden.
The same goes for any garnish that you would like to have in the cocktail. The best time to shop for fruits is in the morning. Anything you get in the afternoon or evening does not count as fresh, but it is still better than anything that you would get pre-packaged.
Garnish
There are two ways in which you can create a cocktail. The first method involves combining ingredients as per the instructions and pouring them into a glass, ready to drink. The result you get from this is okay. The second and most preferred method is pouring the ingredients into a glass and adding some garnish to the drink.
The difference in appearance also gets felt in the taste, and you will feel your taste buds begging you to take a sip of the cocktail. Something simple such as a fresh herb makes all the difference in a cocktail.
In this case, you have passion fruit, but anything else would be welcome to give the eyes a treat! Some of the common garnishes that people use are fresh cherries, lime slices, and strawberries. Go with what you like most.
Temperature
The pornstar martini tastes even better when served chilled, and this can be a hard thing to maintain especially in the warm months. An easy way to go around this would be by placing the glass you intend to use in the fridge before you prepare the drink.
Let the glass sit in the cold temperature for about ten to twenty minutes and take it out to pour the drink into it. You will notice that you can enjoy the drink for much longer and you do not have to worry about it losing its chilled appeal.
Tip: If you are serving cocktails that are best when warm, you can do the reverse of this. Preheat the mugs before pouring in the drinks, and they will stay warm long enough for you to enjoy them. This tip comes in handy a lot during the cold months.
Measurements
It’s pretty cool to see bartenders do their thing. A few ingredients here and there followed by some steps, and they finish making the drink. Their movements appear so fluid that one would think that making a cocktail is quite easy. However, if you are not at that level of expertise, it can be quite hard to figure out if you are using the correct amounts.
It is therefore essential that you follow the recipe as indicated and the best way to do so would be by using a jigger. With this in hand, it will be harder to fall into the temptation of going freestyle. Once you get the hang of things, there will come a time when you can eyeball the ingredients and get it right. But for now, be sure to stick to the recipe to get the perfect pornstar martini.
Sugar
You will come across pornstar martini variations that use sweet liqueurs without any sugar in the recipe. The problem with this technique is that the result may not be as delicious as what you would get when using some sugar. You can vary the sugar as per your preference to get the taste that works for you. Syrup would also work towards making the cocktail tasty.
When it comes to topping up the drink with juice, be sure to go easy. While the result often ends up satisfactory, it can also pose a problem if you use too much liquid. Remember, the less the juice in play in this cocktail, the more impressive the drink will be.
Shaking
Citrus drinks, like the pornstar martini, require shaking for the creation of bubbles which add to the flavors in the drink. Save stirring for drinks such as Manhattans which tend to be quite strong. Remember that shaking works for citrusy drinks as well as those which contain cream, egg, and simple syrups. So don’t opt to stir instead as this will affect how good the cocktail is.
Ice
Often, people don’t give much thought to the ice that they use in their drinks. After all, it’s only ice. Well, that could not be further from the truth. You should think of your ice as you do your water.
Would you drink water that was a month old? If the answer is no, then the same applies to ice that is that old. It also works to make ice cubes out of distilled water a day before you start working on the cocktail.
Another impressive way to create ice cubes would be by using fruit in them. In this case, having passion in the ice cubes would be a creative way to make the ice stand out, and your guests would be impressed by your skills. Plus it looks and tastes great. As long as the fruit you use in the cubes matches the flavor of your drink, you should be fine.
Presentation
Other than some garnish to go with the drink, you can go a step further by drizzling the glasses to make the cocktail fancier. You can use chocolate, either white or black, on the sides to impress your guests. There are tons of ways in which you can achieve this look, and they all make the drink look all the more appealing.
You could also create popsicles out of this cocktail, and your guests can enjoy them as they mingle in the heat. Boozy edibles are a sure way to keep your guests happy.
Tools
I know that I stated that you could always substitute the bar tools with something from your cabinet. While this may be the case, the results that you would get from professional tools would be much better. Plus, they are easier to use, and they look great too.
If you’re looking for a way to impress your guests, then try this pornstar martini recipe which you can have ready in record time. Thank you!
