Silky smooth and with the consistency of maple syrup, when added to a punch the golden batter liquefies (with a little blending ), creating a luxuriant and complex layer of flavors. Believed to have been named after the Mystery Gardenia - one of Beachâs earlier exotic concoctions - the butter should be almost undetectable, present only as a mysterious velvety mouth-feel.
Leave all your ingredients out of the fridge for an hour to allow them to come to room temperature. If youâve a warm house then great - the softer the butter gets the better!
Add all the ingredients to a bowl and using a whisk (a fork will do), cream it like you would a cake mixture. You should have a lovely silky batter in around a minute or two.
Now either put this golden delicious mixture straight into your next cocktail - or if you're making a batch, transferitinto a sterilized container.
Notes
This recipe is super easy, but it pre-supposes that you already have the different ingredients. If you don't, then we've supplied the individual recipes in the sections above.Now, a lot of people seem to be fearful of putting this batter together, but it really isn't that tricky, and doesn't need to be that icky either. For starters, you don't need to heat any of the ingredients to mix them, you just need to i) make sure they're all at room temperature before you start, ii) use nice soft butter.
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Mixing Tips
If your butter is still solid and you need it in a rush, you may want to consider pinging it for 10-20 seconds to soften it slightly, but keep an eye on it and don't let it start to separate.
And if you spritz your jigger with a neutral spray oil, the honey and the syrups just slip on out.
It's these sweeteners that help the batter emulsify, but some bars take this a step further and add a little lecithin into the mix to make sure the butter doesnât separate from the other ingredients when added to a cocktail.Â
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Storage Tips
Based on it being so simple to make, we recommend only mixing it up when you're about to use it.
But if you want to batch it for an upcoming event, decant into a widemouthed container like a maison jar, so that you can scoop it back out with a spoon when you want to use it. Do not try and pour it in a bottle, as you're going to struggle getting it back out again.
It should keep in the refidgerator for around a week. When you come to use it next, it will have reverted back to a solidified state, so make sure you leave it out at room temperature for an hour beforehand.
If it's started to separate, give it a good stir, but don't worry about getting it back to its previous consistency as any cocktail that has gardenia in requires a helluva good blending before serving (around 20 seconds on high speed) - unless of course you're using it in a hot buttered rum, in which case it melts like a dream.
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Cocktail Recommendations
The Pearl Diver should of course be your go-to drink for Gardenia mix, and it's worth trying some of the many variations and riffs, such as the Mai Kai's Deep Sea Diver (one of Beachbum Berry's favourite drinks at The Mai Kai).
Then there's the Year of the Rat, which is often described as a cross between a Pearl Diver and a Zombie.
And don't forget Don the Beachcomberâs Coffee Grog, an intricate affair but well worth the end result!