Celebrate the spirit of World Gin Day with the perfect cocktail. From zesty citrus flavours to floral fun, impress your friends with these delicious (and easy to make) gin drinks. 

Cape citrus G&T with naartjie gin 

Makes 1 // Cooking time: 25 minutes 

Ingredients 

Citrus syrup:

250g sugar Peels from 2–3 ClemenGolds
½ cup (125ml) lime juice
½ cup (125ml) water 

Cocktail: 

3½ Tbsp (50ml) naartjie gin
1 Tbsp (15ml) lime juice
3½ Tbsp (50ml) orange iced tea
2 tsp citrus syrup
3 dashes orange bitters
Ice cubes  

Garnish: 

Thyme sprigs
Dried ClemenGold (or other citrus) rings  

Method  

1. Heat sugar, peels, lime juice and water in a pot. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until syrupy. Strain to remove peels and cool.
3. Add the cocktail ingredients to a shaker filled with ice, and shake to combine.
4. Serve in a whisky glass (or tumbler) filled with ice and garnished.

Cook’s note:
Store leftover citrus syrup in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to one month.  

Recipe: Toinette du Toit
Styling: Kate Turner
Photography: Samantha Pinto // HMimages.co.za 

Floral cocktail 

Makes 6 // Cooking time: 15 minutes 

Ingredients 

Rose syrup: 

1½ cups (375ml) sugar
1 cup (250ml) water
2 Tbsp (30ml) rose water  

Cocktail: 

¾ cup gin
4 cups (1L) soda water
Ice cubes 

Garnish: 

Cucumber ribbons
Edible flowers 

Method 

1. Heat sugar, water and rose water in a pot.
2. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved, then set aside to cool.
3. 3. Place ice cubes in each glass. Add a tot (25ml) each of syrup and gin.
4. Fill glasses with soda water, stir and garnish to serve.

Recipe & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Gareth van Nelson/HMimages.co.za 

Lavender G&T 

Makes 1 // Cooking time 25 minutes 

Ingredients 

Lavender syrup:  

2 cups (500ml) water
1 cup (250ml) sugar
2 Tbsp (30ml) dried lavender buds 

Cocktail: 

2 Tbsp (30ml) gin
1 tsp (5ml) lemon juice
1 tsp (5ml) lavender syrup
½ cup (125ml) ice
200ml tonic water 

Garnish: 

Lavender sprig
Slice of lemon  

Method 

1. Add the water, sugar and lavender buds to a pot. Bring to the boil, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. 3. Allow to cool before straining through a sieve, discarding the lavender buds. 
4. Mix the gin, lemon juice and lavender syrup together in a glass.
5. Add the ice, top up with tonic water and stir gently. Garnish to serve

Recipe & styling: Kate Turner
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za 

The post 3 gin cocktails to sip on for World Gin Day  appeared first on MyKitchen.

A simple sweet treat for those afternoon slumps, this white chocolate bark with edible flowers is perfect for summer. Break up the pieces and enjoy!

MAKES 20 x 10 cm slab // COOKING TIME 1 hour

INGREDIENTS
3 × 80 g slabs white chocolate, broken up
Dried rose petals
Fresh rose petals

METHOD
1. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Melt the chocolate: Bring ½ a pot of water to the boil. Place chocolate in a glass bowl that fits snugly over the pot (the bottom of the bowl must not touch the water). Stir chocolate until melted.
3. Pour chocolate on to the baking paper. Spread out evenly with a palette knife and sprinkle with rose petals.
4. Place in the fridge to set, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
5. Break into pieces and serve immediately.

Recipe & styling: Diane Heierli
Photography: Christoph Heierli

Have leftover white chocolate? Use it for these yummy chocolate waffle pops!

The post White chocolate bark with edible flowers appeared first on MyKitchen.

The perfect summer treat exists, and it’s these holiday floral ice lollies with edible flowers! Keep them in the freezer for a hot summer’s day.

MAKES 8 // COOKING TIME 30 min

INGREDIENTS
250 ml water
100 g caster sugar
100 g strawberries
Handful edible flowers (we used pansies)
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp rose syrup

METHOD
1. Place the water and sugar in a pot over medium heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Set aside to cool down.
2. Place the strawberries and flowers in 8 ice-lolly moulds. (Pack in the strawberries so they hold the flowers in place against the sides, otherwise they will float up.)
3. When the sugar syrup has cooled, add the lemon juice and rose syrup and mix well.
4. Pour the syrup into the ice-lolly moulds. Insert a stick into each one. Place in the freezer until set, about 4 hours.

Recipe & styling: Diane Heierli
Photography: Christoph Heierli

Keen to try more recipes like this? Make these fruity yoghurt lollies!

The post Holiday floral ice lollies with edible flowers appeared first on MyKitchen.

We love a good doughnut, but these stunning floral doughnuts take the cake! Use edible flowers straight from your garden to garnish these.

Not sure which blooms to use? Here’s our list of edible flowers.

MAKES 8 // COOKING TIME 2 hours

INGREDIENTS
For the floral doughnuts
310 ml milk, lukewarm
2 tsp dry yeast
2 eggs
120 g butter, melted and cooled
50 g sugar
1 tsp salt
530 g cake flour
Vegetable oil, to deep-fry
For the royal icing
1 egg white
½ tsp lemon juice
200 g icing sugar, sifted
Sprinkles, to decorate
Edible flowers of your choice, to decorate

METHOD
For the floral doughnuts
1. In a bowl, combine milk and yeast. Let sit until the mixture is foamy, 5 minutes.
2. Using an electric beater, beat eggs, butter, sugar and salt into the mixture.
3. Mix in ½ of the flour until combined. Mix in the rest of the flour with a wooden spoon until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Add a little more flour, 2 tbsp at a time, if the dough is too wet.
4. Knead the dough until smooth, about 7–10 minutes.
5. Grease a bowl with a little oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl and cover. Let rise at room temperature until doubled in size.
6. Turn out the dough on to a well-floured surface and roll it out to 2 cm thick. Use two cookie cutters to cut out 8 doughnuts and make holes in them (the larger cutter should be about 10 cm and the smaller one about 3 cm), flouring the cutters as you go.
7. Arrange doughnuts on floured baking trays so there is plenty of room between them. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place until slightly puffed up and delicate, about 45 minutes
8. After about 30 minutes, place the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and heat it to 180°C.
9. Carefully add the doughnuts to the oil. When the undersides are deep golden, 45 seconds to 1 minute, use a slotted spoon to flip. Cook until golden all over. Adjust the heat as needed to keep the oil at the same temperature while you fry the whole batch.
10. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
For the royal icing
1. Lightly whisk together the egg white and lemon juice. Gradually add the icing sugar, whisking until smooth.
2. Spread icing over each of the doughnuts. Decorate with sprinkles and flowers.

Recipe & styling: Diane Heierli
Photography: Christoph Heierli

This berry granola tart is another springtime favourite!

The post Celebrate spring with these pretty floral doughnuts appeared first on MyKitchen.

Summer calls for fresh fruity flavours to enjoy with all of your loved ones, like these watermelon ice lollies with ginger and edible flowers.

MAKES 8 // COOKING TIME 20 min plus overnight freezing time

INGREDIENTS
8 wooden ice-cream sticks
½ cup sugar
3 cm piece of ginger, finely sliced
½ cup fresh lemon juice
1½ cups watermelon juice (blended and strained)
Edible flowers

METHOD
1. Soak the ice-cream sticks in water for one hour.
2. Combine ½ cup water and the sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the ginger and leave to infuse for a few hours.
3. Remove and discard the ginger pieces.
4. Combine the sugar syrup, lemon juice and watermelon juice and mix well.
5. Divide the mixture between 8 ice-lolly moulds and push the flowers into the sides.
6. Freeze for at least one hour and then insert the soaked sticks. Freeze overnight.
7. Run warm water over the moulds to loosen the lollies.

Recipe & styling: Diane Heierli
Photography: Christoph Heierli

The post Floral watermelon ice lollies appeared first on MyKitchen.

With sunny days on the way, we can’t wait to spend warm evenings sitting outside by the braai and enjoying a refreshing drink, just like these floral cocktails.

MAKES 6 // COOKING TIME 15 min

INGREDIENTS
1½ cups sugar
1 cup water
2 tbsp rose water
Ice cubes, to serve
¾ cup gin
1 L soda water
Cucumber ribbons, to garnish
Edible flowers, to garnish

METHOD
1. Heat sugar, water and rose water in a pot. Stir until sugar is dissolved, then set aside to cool.
2. Place ice cubes in each glass. Add a tot each of syrup and gin.
3. Fill glasses with soda. Garnish with cucumber and flowers.

Recipe & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Gareth van Nelson/HMimages.co.za

The post Floral cocktails appeared first on MyKitchen.