Discover the recipe for the perfect caipirinha!
Lime, sugar, cachaça, and ice cubes... It sounds simple. But what are the secrets to making a "caipirinha," this classic and delicious cocktail? You'll be surprised!
Ingredients
1/2 to 1 lime
1 tablespoon of white sugar, ideally cane sugar. Some also recommend up to two tablespoons of sugar...
50 to 60 ml of artisanal cachaça, depending on your preference (Cachaça da Quinta Blanche, Dom Bré Blanche, or the slightly amber Menica Carioca Ouro)
Crushed ice or ice cubes
Preparation
Wash and cut the lime in half lengthwise.
Remove the central core (the white part) as well as the top and bottom slices to avoid bitterness.
Remove the seeds if you're feeling brave.
Cut the lime into 8 to 10 wedges (depending on the size).
Crush the lemon cubes with the pestle, keeping the green skin facing up.
Add the sugar.
Mix the sugar and lemon cubes well.
Prepare crushed ice with your ice cubes.
To do this, you can use a cloth in which you place the ice cubes, which you will break up with whatever you have...
Add the crushed ice up to 3/4 of the glass and mix the lemon, sugar, and ice with a spoon.
Pour in the artisanal cachaça.
Stir with a spoon and add more crushed ice if necessary to top up your glass.
Do not add sugar after adding the crushed ice, as it will no longer dissolve and the taste will be less delicious.
Garnish with a lime slice and you can finally serve your friends.
Enjoy! Saude!
Expert's Note
You may have noticed that this recipe doesn't use a shaker. It's actually a pre-assembled cocktail.
Shaking in a shaker is to be avoided because it mixes the ingredients but makes your caipirinha watery with the rapid melting of the ice... So, it's best avoided.
You'll usually see a shaker used in bars, but it's mostly for speed... and shaking the lemon too hard can make it bitter because of the rind.
Did you know?
There is indeed an official recipe for the caipirinha, which is also defined by law!
However, there are many variations of the caipirinha, including replacing the lime with kiwi, strawberries, or passion fruit.
