Iced Raspberry Espresso Tonic

Prep time: 15 minutes, 1 hour chilling time
Bake time: 10 to 15 minutes

Ready for a next-level iced coffee? This sparkling refresher is surprisingly light, blending sweet and tart raspberries with the richness of espresso into a summer drink that looks as incredible as it tastes.

Ingredients

For the raspberry simple syrup (makes approximately 1 cup / 250 ml):

¾ cup (188 ml) water
⅔ cup (133 g) Redpath® Granulated Sugar
⅓ cup (72 g) Redpath® Golden Yellow Sugar, packed
1½ cups or ½ pint (170 g) fresh raspberries, washed and drained

For the drink:

8 shots (240 ml) espresso, cooled, divided
⅓ cup + 4 tsp (103 ml) raspberry simple syrup (recipe above), chilled, divided
2⅔ cups (667 ml) tonic water, chilled, divided

Garnish (optional):

Raspberries, frozen or fresh (see Chef’s Tips)
Lemon slices

Equipment

Medium heavy-bottomed saucepan
Liquid measuring cup
Scale or dry measuring cup
Heatproof spatula or wooden spoon
Slotted spoon
Fine mesh sieve OR a regular strainer lined with cheesecloth
Medium heatproof bowl or large measuring cup
Drinking glasses or any bar glass (double old-fashioned, highball, or collins glasses)
Spoon

Granulated Sugar

Golden Yellow Sugar

Instructions

For the raspberry simple syrup:

Step 1

Add the water to the bottom of a medium-sized heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add in the Redpath® Granulated Sugar and the Redpath® Golden Yellow Sugar. Place saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugars.

Step 2

Carefully add in the raspberries, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the raspberries soften and lose their colour; 10 to 15 minutes. With a slotted spoon, skim off any foam that rises to the surface.

Step 3

Remove from heat and allow syrup to infuse and cool slightly; 10 minutes.

Step 4

Carefully strain the raspberry mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl. With a spatula, gently move the berries, allowing as much of the liquid to strain through, though being careful not to press too hard onto the solids as this will create a cloudy-looking syrup. Reserve spent raspberries. (See Chef’s Tips for uses.)

Step 5

Allow the raspberry simple syrup to cool at room temperature, cover, and place in the fridge to chill completely; approximately 1 hour. (See Chef’s Tips.)

For the drinks:

Step 1

Pre-chill 4 glasses (see Chef’s Tips).

Step 2

Pull 8 shots of espresso through an espresso machine or a moka pot. Set aside to cool to room temperature so it doesn’t melt the ice. (See Chef’s Tips.)

Step 3

Add 25 ml (1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons) of the raspberry simple syrup to the bottom of each glass. Fill glasses with ice.

Step 4

Slowly pour ⅔ cup (167 ml) tonic water into each glass, being careful not to disturb the raspberry layer. Carefully pour 2 shots (60 ml) of espresso over the back of a spoon into each glass; this prevents the espresso from completely mixing with the tonic water creating a 3-layered effect.

Step 5

Garnish with frozen or fresh raspberries and/or lemon slices, if desired. Serve immediately. Stir to combine flavours before enjoying.

Chefʼs Tips

Frozen raspberries used as a garnish will ensure the drink stays cold without diluting the mixture.

If garnishing drinks with frozen raspberries, line a small baking sheet or container with parchment paper, place washed and blotted dry raspberries in a single layer (not touching), and place into the freezer before proceeding with the recipe. When ready to garnish, place several frozen raspberries into each glass when adding the ice or after adding the espresso.

The leftover raspberry solids can be added to smoothies, stirred into yogurt, added into muffins, or mixed into the fillings of pies, crisps, or crumbles. Solids can be frozen in an ice cube tray; frozen cubes can be placed into an airtight container or freezer bag for future use.

To quickly chill liquids (e.g. simple syrups), transfer into a metal bowl. Fill a larger bowl with ice with a small amount of water. Set the bowl with the hot liquid that needs to be cooled over the ice, constantly stirring until chilled. Cover or transfer into an airtight container and place into the fridge until needed.

The raspberry simple syrup can be made the day before or up to 2 weeks ahead for easy preparation. Store any leftover raspberry simple syrup in a clean mason jar, bottle, or glass container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Any leftover syrup can be used to make more espresso tonics or to flavour sparkling water, tea, regular coffee, lattes, or moisten and flavour cake layers.

Use tonic water that you enjoy drinking. Citrus-forward tonic waters will pair well with the raspberry.

If possible, choose a floral, or bright, and citrus-like coffee bean (e.g. Ethiopian or Colombian) that will feel and taste “light and refreshing” versus an espresso or coffee bean that has “heavier” flavour notes such as those with chocolate or smokey undertones (e.g. Indonesian or Guatemalan); however, the contrasting flavours may work for some palates.

Instant espresso can also be used but may not give the same layering effect.

To chill glasses, place them into the fridge while prepping ingredients. Alternatively, fill each glass with ice while preparing ingredients, and when ready to make, discard ice and proceed with the recipe.

Larger ice cubes work best for this drink, as the ice melts more slowly.

Redpath® Dark Brown Sugar can be used in place of the Redpath® Golden Yellow Sugar if a more pronounced caramel-like undertone is preferred.

Experiment with making the simple syrup with other berries (e.g. cherries, blackberries, strawberries) or a mixture of berries.

Ingredients

Instructions

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