Love Potion #9

Yields: 3-4 drink

Prep time: 5 minutes

What You Will Need

• (optional) Silicone heart mold

• Measuring cups and spoons

• (optional)cocktail shaker

• 3-4 glasses

• Spoon

Ingredients

• 5 ounces 100% cherry juice (or pomegranate juice or cranberry juice)

• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

• 1 large lime, juiced

• OPTIONAL: 2 shots (jiggers) vodka [one shot or one jigger equals 1.5 fluid ounces]

• Sparkling mineral water to top off each drink (I love Topo Chico)

• 2 tablespoons maple sugar for sugar rim

• fresh raspberries

• Heart Shaped Ice Cubes: 100% pomegranate juice for silicone heart molds (or cherry juice or cranberry juice)

Instructions

1. MAKE IN ADVANCE: Place a silicone heart mold on a small baking sheet.  Fill the molds with pomegranate juice (or cherry juice or cranberry juice) and place the baking sheet in your freezer for eight hours until juice is frozen solid.  I typically do this the night before.

2. JUST BEFORE SERVING: Prepare 3-4 cocktail glasses with a sugar rim.  Place maple sugar on a small plate.  Rub the rim of the glasses with a lime wedge (just enough to wet the rim) and then dip the rim of each glass in the maple sugar.  You can use any granulated sugar here but to keep it refined sugar-free I recommend using maple sugar.  Set glasses aside or place in your freezer to chill the glasses.

3. PREPARE THE DRINK: Shake cherry juice, maple syrup, lime juice and vodka (if using) in a cocktail shaker filled with ice cubes.

4. Fill the cocktail glasses with ice cubes.  Pour the shaken cocktail into the glasses (about halfway).  Leave room for sparkling mineral water.

5. Fill each glass with sparkling mineral water and stir gently with a spoon.  Leave room for 1-2 red heart ice cubes.

6. Remove red heart ice cubes from the silicone mold and place 1-2 (or more!) in each drink.

7. Arrange fresh raspberries on a cocktail pick and place the pick in the drink or balancing on the glass rim.

8. Enjoy immediately.

You can download the recipe below!