Drink Recipe: Blackberry Syrup and Kir Royales

I wrote earlier this week about the Pomegranate-Infused Vodka I made using the recipe I learnd at the cocktail class at Sur la Table. The second recipe I wanted to make was the Blackberry Syrup. I really like Kir Royales, but the creme de cassis you buy at the store is so sugary and artificial tasting. While this recipe also calls for sugar, its much tastier and fresher than what you buy! It would make a fun drink for New Years Eve!

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups blackberries
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 ounces Grand Marnier (although I used Cointreau. You could also sub OJ, if you wanted to make the syrup non-alcoholic)

DIRECTIONS:

• Combine the blackberries and sugar in a pot. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, and boil until the mixture thickens (it took mine about 15 minutes). I also found it strange to cook the blackberries and sugar without adding sugar, but don't worry- everything turns out fine!
• Remove from heat and strain to remove berry seeds. Add lemon juice and Grand Marnier. I would use slightly less of the Grand Marnier and lemon juice next time, because I am not a big citrus fan, and it does add a little flavor to the drink.
• To make a Kir Royale, add a spoonful of the syrup to a champagne glass and add champagne. For a Kir, substitute the champagne for white wine. You can also make a nice non-alcoholic drink using sparkling water. The syrup makes the drink look really festive- a pretty reddish-pink, rather than the more purple (and watered-down look) you get from creme de cassis.