Treat yourself to a complex yet refreshing blend of mint, orange and sugar with a drink guaranteed to leave you feeling refreshed under the hot summer heat. Even without rum, this classic Cuban drink is full of flavor. Keep reading to learn how to make a traditional Virgin Mojito without alcohol, and other ways that will introduce you to new flavors using a variety of fruit juices.
Ingredients
Virgin Mojito
'''Serving for:''” 1 Person
- 8 mint leaves
- 1-2 teaspoons of sugar
- 1-2 medium size limes
- 15 ml syrup (a mixture of sugar and water in a ratio of 2:1)
- Soda, ginger ale, or lemon-lime soda
- 120 ml apple juice, pink grape juice, or thick strawberry (optional)
- Ice
Step
Method 1 of 2: Grind Mint Leaves for Mojito
Step 1. Find a tool for mashing mint leaves, or what is commonly called a muddler
You probably don't have a muddler around you, unless you're a bartender. Pounding mint leaves is an essential part of making a delicious mojito. If you don't have one, you can improvise using a wooden spoon or the end of a rolling pin.
If you have a muddler, make sure it is made of unpolished wood. Any polished utensils will eventually wear out and the polish will get into your drink
Step 2. Place the mint leaves at the bottom of a glass container that is thick and strong and will not break easily
You can also add sugar, as the coarse texture of the sugar can help the mint's mashing process. Make sure the glass you use is not thin and does not break easily in the mint leaf crushing process.
- Make sure you remove the leaves from the stems, as mint leaves can make your drink taste bitter.
- Spearmint is the type of mint that is most often used in mojito preparations. But you can experiment with using peppermint or pineapple mint for a different taste.
Step 3. Gently press the muddler over the mint leaf and twist it a few times
Do not tear, crush, or chop the leaves, as this can release the chlorophyll contained in the leaf layer. Chlorophyll has a very bitter taste and can make your virgin mojito unpalatable.
Step 4. Stop if you smell mint, or when the mint leaves look like they are starting to tear
The mint leaves should remain intact, wrinkled, and perhaps with a few tears. This step aims to get the aroma and taste of the oil out of the leaves, and will also allow the mint flavor to seep into your drink.
Stirring the mint leaves with sugar will allow the oil from the leaves to seep into the sugar, giving your drink a richer taste
Step 5. Squeeze a mint leaf in the palm of your hand if you don't want to use a muddler at all
This is a better method than chopping mint leaves, which will cause the chlorophyll content in the leaves to be released, and will also leave tiny bits of mint leaves on top of your drink. Choking on mint leaves can ruin the fun of drinking a mojito.
Method 2 of 2: Making a Virgin Mojito
Step 1. Combine mint leaves, 1 teaspoon sugar, and syrup in a tall, thick glass
A short glass will make your drink look full. Mojitos are usually made with a mixture of ice cubes and lots of liquid, as this is a summer drink that is best drunk and enjoyed chilled. A small glass will make the proportions of the drink unbalanced.
- The syrup will sweeten your drink completely, because the sugar won't dissolve in the cold liquid. You can skip the syrup and just use granulated sugar instead; but be aware that granulated sugar may build up at the bottom of your glass.
- Turbinado sugar has a sugar syrup taste that some people like, but the sugar grains are too large to dissolve in cold drinks. If you want to use it, you must first grind it with a grinder.
Step 2. Squeeze one large or medium lime to get 30 milliliters of fresh lime juice
If you don't get 30 milliliters of juice from one lime, add more by squeezing a second lime. To make sure you get as much juice as possible, place the lime on a table and roll it under your palm, then press it lightly. This will soften the lime and make it easier to squeeze.
- Cut a lime in half and place one of the pieces in a lime squeezer. The flat part of the lime wedge should be facing the round part of the squeezer. There should be a small hole in the bottom of the squeezer through which the juice from the lime can come out.
- Hold the squeezer over the bowl or glass.
- Cover, place the top of the squeezer on top of the lime.
- Squeeze the halves of the squeezer together. When the upper part of the squeezer presses against the lime, it releases the juice from the lime.
Step 3. Add fresh lime juice to a glass that already contains mint leaves and sweetener
Let the ingredients sit for a few minutes to allow the flavors to combine and stir a little. If your lime juice is at room temperature, the sugar in the glass may start to dissolve in the liquid.
If you want to try something other than the classic mojito, now is the time! Try adding apple juice, grapefruit juice, lemonade, thick strawberry, or other fruit juices. You may be able to come up with delicious and surprising flavor combinations
Step 4. Fill your glass with ice cubes to the brim or at least full
There's an argument between using crushed ice or ice cubes, so use whatever you want. Because in the end this is your drink.
- Crushed ice will cool your drink faster, but it will also melt faster.
- Make ice cubes with mashed mint leaves frozen in them, so the mint flavor soaks into your drink when the ice cubes melt.
Step 5. Fill the glass with soda to the brim
You have the opportunity to revamp this recipe again by substituting soda and adding ginger ale or lemon-lime soda. You will get a similar drink foam but with a slightly different taste.
- Garnish your drink with leftover mint sprigs or with lime wedges, or even with rock candy sticks.
- If your mojito is too sour, add 1 teaspoon of sugar or syrup and stir.
