Mandarin rose

Serve this delicate, dainty drink after a long afternoon on the croquet lawn.

Ingredients:

375 ml (1 ½ cups) mandarin juice

1 teaspoon rosewater

2 teaspoons pomegranate syrup

250 ml (1 cup) soda water or lemonade

ice cubes, to serve

Method:

Combine the mandarin juice, rosewater, pomegranate syrup and soda water or lemonade in a jug. Serve over ice. Make 2 large glasses.

Sweet-tart

Suck it in and prepare for the sour cherry punch.

Ingredients:

250 ml (1 cup) blood orange juice

125 ml (½ cup) sour cherry juice

1 tablespoon lime juice

250 ml (1 cup) soda water

ice cubes, to serve

Method:

Combine the blood orange juice, sour cherry juice and lime juice in a jug. Stir through the soda water and serve over ice. Make 2 large glasses.

Peach nectar spider fluff

The ultimate classic combo, give peaches and cream a modern makeover.

Ingredients:

600 ml (21 fl oz) peach nectar

600 ml (21 fl oz) soda water

4 scoops vanilla ice cream

1 peach, sliced

Method:

Combine the peach nectar and soda water in a jug. Pour into 4 tall glasses, top each with a scoop of ice cream and garnish with peach slices. Make 4 medium glasses. 

Lychee passion fizz

Clean, crisp lychees hook up with earthy passion fruit for an affair worth remembering.

Ingredients:

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) lychees, peeled and seeded

2 cm piece ginger

3 large passion fruit, halved

500 ml (2 cups) lemonade or soda water

Method:

Juice the lychees and ginger through a juice extractor. Scoop out the passion fruit pulp and stir through the lemonade or soda water. Make 2 large glasses. 

Fuzzy peach

Add heat to sun-warmed peaches with a pinch of spicy nutmeg.

Ingredients:

6 peaches, stones removed

1 lemon, peeled

large pinch freshly grated nutmeg

250 ml (1 cup) dry ginger ale

ice cubes, to serve

Method:

Juice the peaches and lemon through a juice extractor. Stir through the nutmeg and dry ginger ale. Serve over ice. Make 2 large glasses. 

Lime and kiwi sparkler

Get to know this kiwi sparkler and it could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Ingredients:

2 limes, peeled

9 kiwifruit, peeled

375 ml (1 ½ cups) dry ginger ale
ice cubes, to serve

mint sprigs, to garnish

lime slices, to garnish

Method:

Juice the limes and kiwifruit through a juice extractor. Stir through the dry ginger ale and serve over ice with a mint sprig and lime slices. Make 2 large glasses.

Plum and basil tango

Yummy plummy in your tummy keeps you on the go.

Ingredients:

10 small plums, stones removed

2 limes, peeled

10 g (1/3 cup) basil leaves

375 ml (1 ½ cups) lemonade

ice cubes, to serve

basil leaves, extra, to garnish

Method:

Juice the plums, limes and basil through a juice extractor. Stir through the lemonade. Serve over ice and garnish with basil leaves. Make 2 large glasses. 

Mango tango

They say it takes two to tango, so try not to drink this on your own.

Ingredients:

2 mangoes, peeled, stones removed

1 small pineapple, peeled and chopped

2 large passion fruit, halved

375 ml (1 ½ cups) sparkling grape juice

Method:

Juice the mangoes and pineapple through a juice extractor. Scoop out the passion fruit pulp and stir through the grape juice. Make 2 large glasses.

Apple fizz

Revisit your cider-fuelled student years without the grungy flat mates.

Ingredients:

6 apples, stalks removed

1 lemon, peeled

250 ml (1 cup) apple cider

ice cubes, to serve

Method:

Juice the apples and lemon through a juice extractor. Stir through the apple cider and serve over ice. Make 2 large glasses.

Sober mule

For a nightlife moment without the morning after, kick back with a sober mule.

Ingredients:

3 grapefruit, peeled

7 g (1/3 cup) mint leaves

375 ml (1 ½ cups) ginger beer

ice cubes, to serve

2 small mint sprigs, to garnish

Method:

Juice the grapefruit and mint through a juice extractor. Stir through the ginger beer and serve over ice, then garnish with mint. Make 2 large glasses.

Mango and mandarin chill

Mangoes have never had it is good – cosseted by fizzy sweetness.

Ingredients:

1 mango, peeled, stone removed and sliced

500 ml (2 cups) mandarin juice

125 ml (½ cup) lime juice cordial

375 ml (1 ½ cups) soda water

2 tablespoons caster (superfine) sugar

ice cubes, to serve

Method:

Freeze the mango for about 1 hour, or until semi-frozen. Combine the mandarin juice, lime juice cordial, soda water and sugar in a jug. Put the mango slices and some ice cubes into 2 glasses, then pour in the juice mixture. Make 2 medium glasses.

Note: For those with a sensitive sweet tooth, add the sugar to taste at the end.

Fresh pineapple juice with mandarin sorbet

Bewitch yourself with this tingly little teaser.

Ingredients:

1 large pineapple, peeled and chopped

250 ml (1 cup) dry ginger ale

4 scoops mandarin sorbet

Method:

Juice the pineapple through a juice extractor. Combine the pineapple juice and dry ginger ale in a large jug and chill. Stir to combine, pour into 2 glasses and top each with 2 scoops of sorbet. Make 2 medium glasses. 

Guava juice and soda with zested lime blocks

Pale pink and lime green isn’t always a fashion winner but here it’s definitely a la mode.

Ingredients:

zest and juice of 2 limes

2 tablespoons lime cordial

500 ml (2 cups) soda water
750 ml (3 cups) guava juice

Method:

Put the lime juice, lime cordial and half the soda water into a jug and mix together. Pour into an ice cube tray and top each cube with a little of the lime zest. Freeze until solid. Divide the ice cubes among 4 glasses and top with the combined guava juice and remaining soda water. Make 4 medium glasses.

Note: The colour of guava flesh will vary from pale yellow to soft pink. We use pink for this drink as it tends to be sweeter and have a slightly stronger fragrance.

Mango summer haze

If you adore mangoes but can’t abide the juice dribbling down your arms, call in the blender.

Ingredients:

2 mangoes, peeled, stones removed and chopped

500 ml (2 cups) orange juice

55 g (¼ cup) caster (superfine) sugar

500 ml (2 cups) sparkling mineral water

ice cubes, to serve

mango slices, to garnish, optional

Method:

Blend the mango, orange juice and sugar in a blender until smooth. Stir through the mineral water. Serve over ice and garnish with fresh mango slices, if desired. Make 6 large glasses. 

Pineapple delight

Sweet yet slightly astringent, this drink can catch you off guard.

Ingredients:

½ pineapple, peeled and chopped

500 ml (2 cups) lemonade
2 tablespoons lime juice

mint leaves, to garnish

Method:

Blend the pineapple in a blender for 1-2 minutes, or until as smooth as possible. Pour the lemonade into a jug and gently stir through the pineapple puree. Add the lime juice and mix well. Serve garnished with the mint. Make 4 small glasses.

Grape refresher

Perhaps the next best thing to being hand fed grapes …

Ingredients:

1 liter (4 cups) dark grape juice

60 ml (¼ cup) lemon juice

60 ml (¼ cup) caster (superfine) sugar
sparkling mineral water, to serve

ice cubes, to serve

lemon slices, to garnish

12 seedless green grapes, to garnish, optional

Method:

Place the sugar and grape juice in a large saucepan and stir over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Stir through the lemon juice and refrigerate until cold. Pour over ice into 6 tall glasses to three-quarters full and top with sparkling mineral water and a lemon slice. Cut the grapes in half, thread among 6 wooden skewers and place over each glass, if desired. Make 6 tall glasses.

Tropical kiwi sparkler

Just a sip of this fizzy fruity tongue tingler will transport anyone to a tropical island.

Ingredients:

4 kiwifruit, peeled

500 ml (2 cups) tropical fruit juice

250 ml (1 cup) pineapple juice

ice cubes, to serve

sparkling mineral water, chilled, to serve

strawberries, chopped, to serve

kiwifruit, extra, to serve

small mint leaves, to garnish

Method:

Blend the kiwifruit in a blender until smooth. Add the tropical fruit juice and pineapple juice and blend until combined. Chill. Pour over ice into 6 large glasses and top with sparkling mineral water. Add the strawberries and kiwifruit, then garnish with the mint. Make 6 large glasses.

Apricot fruit spritzer

Juice in bulk and fill your best bowl – your guests will be pleased as punch.

Ingredients:

500 ml (2 cups) apricot nectar

250 ml (1 cup) apple juice

250 ml (1 cup) orange juice

500 ml (2 cups) soda water

8 ice cubes

Method:

Put the apricot nectar, apple juice, orange juice, soda water and ice cubes into a large jug and stir to combine. Make 4 medium glasses. 

Ruby grapefruit and lemon sorbet fizz

A delightful mix of tart and fizzy, serve in tulip champagne glasses as a light dessert.

Ingredients:

500 ml (2 cups) ruby grapefruit juice

250 ml (1 cup) soda water

1 tablespoon caster (superfine) sugar

4 scoops lemon sorbet

Method:

Combine the grapefruit juice, soda water and sugar in a jug and chill. Pour into 4 glasses and top each with a scoop of sorbet. Make 4 small glasses. 

Blueberry crush

It’s sweet, it’s rich and it’s full of what you need. What’s not to fall for?

Ingredients:

150 g (5 ½ oz) blueberries

750 ml (3 cups) apple and blackcurrant juice

500 ml (2 cups) soda water
1 tablespoon caster (superfine) sugar

ice cubes, to serve

Method:

Blend the blueberries, apple and blackcurrant juice, soda water and sugar in a blender until smooth. Serve over ice. Make 4 medium glasses.

Note: To make a slushy, add the ice cubes when blending the other ingredients.

Lemon, lime and soda with citrus ice cubes

This sparkling little spritzer will put a spring in your step.

Ingredients:

1 lemon and 1 lime

2 ½ tablespoons lemon juice

170 ml (2/3 cup) lime juice cordial

625 ml (2 ½ cups) soda water

Method:

Using a sharp knife, remove the zest and white pith from the lemon and lime. Cut between the membranes to release the segments. Put a lemon and lime segment in each hole of an ice-cube tray and cover with water. Freeze for 2-3 hours, or until firm. Combine the lemon juice, lime juice cordial and soda water. Pour into 2 glasses and add the ice cubes. Make 2 medium glasses. 

Blue maple

Best consumed on a Sunday with the papers in one hand and some waffles in the other.

Ingredients:

200 g (1 cup) low-fat blueberry fromage frais

185 ml (¾ cup) low-fat milk
1 tablespoon maple syrup

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

300 g (10 ½ oz) frozen blueberries

Method:

Blend the fromage frais, milk, maple syrup, cinnamon and 250 g (9 oz) of the frozen blueberries in a blender until smooth. Serve topped with the remaining blueberries. Make 2 medium glasses.

Apricot whip

Dried apricots are potent packages of beta-carotene, antioxidants, iron and flavour. They’re also cute as buttons and very delicious.

Ingredients:

75 g (2 ½ oz) dried apricots

125 g (½ cup) apricot yoghurt

170 ml (2/3 cup) light coconut milk

310 ml (1 ½ cups) milk

1 scoop vanilla ice cream

1 tablespoon honey

flaked coconut, toasted, to garnish

Method:

Soak the dried apricots in boiling water for 15 minutes, then drain and roughly chop. Blend the apricots, yoghurt, coconut milk, milk, ice cream and honey in a blender until smooth. Serve sprinkled with the flaked coconut. Make 2 medium glasses. 

Peachy keen

No-one can be peachy keen all the time, so fake it in style.

Ingredients:

2 large peaches, stones removed and chopped
60 g (½ cup) raspberries

185 g (¾ cup) low-fat peach and mango yoghurt

185 ml (¾ cup) apricot nectar
8 large ice cubes

peach wedges, to serve

Method:

Blend the peaches, raspberries, yoghurt, apricot nectar and ice cubes in a blender until smooth. Serve with the peach wedges. Make 2 medium glasses.

Long tall raspberry and blueberry

Comfort yourself with a little pink milk at bedtime.

Ingredients:

200 g (7 oz) raspberries

200 g (7 oz) blueberries

500 ml (2 cups) milk or soy milk

Method:

Chill 2 tall glasses in the freezer for about 20 minutes. Blend the berries in a blender until smooth. Pour 60 ml (¼ cup) of the berry puree into a jug and carefully swirl in a spiral pattern around the inside of the glasses. Return to the freezer. Add the milk to the blender with the remaining puree and blend until thick and creamy. Pour into the glasses and serve. Make 2 tall glasses.

Note: Any berries are suitable for this drink. Depending on the sweetness of the berries, you may want to add a little honey.

Pineapple and lychee creamy colada

Go the whole hog and serve this colada in cocktail glasses with lychees on toothpicks. Add the splash of white rum if you fancy a cocktail.

Ingredients:

1/3 pineapple, peeled and chopped

750 ml (3 cups) pineapple juice

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) canned lychees

2 tablespoons spearmint leaves

125 ml (½ cup) coconut cream

crushed ice

Method:

Blend the pineapple, pineapple juice, the undrained lychees and spearmint in a blender until smooth. Add the coconut cream and crushed ice and blend until thick and smooth. Make 6 medium glasses.

Note: The lychee is one of the China’s most cherished fruits and has been so for over 2000 years. As its season is relatively short, we’ve used canned lychees for this recipe. 

Wheaty starter

Fill a thermos for an emergency breakfast on the run that works.

Ingredients:

2 breakfast wheat biscuits

2 bananas, chopped

60 g (¼ cup) vanilla soy yoghurt

500 ml (2 cups) fat-free soy milk

Method:

Blend the wheat biscuits, banana, yoghurt and soy milk in a blender until smooth. Make 4 small glasses.