Despite its name, the cocktail is usually crystal clear and bears no resemblance to dairy products, even though you need milk to make it.
Ingredients
- 8 lemons
- 1 pineapple
- 1 pound sugar
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 6 cloves
- 20 coriander seeds
- 1 ounce Peychaud's bitters
- 2 ounces absinthe
- 1 cup arrack
- 2-1/2 cups rum*
- 2-1/2 cups cognac*
- -2 1/2 cups brewed green or black tea
- 2 cups boiling water
- 5 cups whole milk
About this recipe
Dating from 18th-century England and Colonial America, making clarified milk punch feels more like a science project than mixing up a cocktail.
The basic process is to start with a blend of spirits, fruit juices and spices, then add milk or half-and-half. When the dairy meets the acidic alcoholic mixture, it curdles. That’s when the magic of science happens. The proteins coagulate and the whole thing looks a mess. When you strain the mixture, however, the curdled solids separate out leaving the luscious fat behind with the drink.The resulting liquid becomes a clear cocktail with a remarkably silky smooth texture when you sip it. Since you need the fat to get the effect, don’t be tempted to use low-fat or skim milk. Note that the curdled mixture is very fragile; be gentle when straining it.
Instructions
1. Zest the lemons (removing only the yellow part of the peel) and juice them. Peel and cut pineapple into large chunks. Put them in a large bowl. Coarsely grind the cinnamon, clove, and coriander seeds into the bowl. Add the lemon peels, lemon juice, pineapple chunks, ground spices, and sugar. Muddle the mixture using a potato masher or large fork.
2. Add the bitters, absinthe, arrack, cognac, and rum. Stir to combine. Add the green tea and boiling water. Cover and let sit overnight in the refrigerator to infuse the flavors.
3. Once infused, strain the mixture into a pitcher or other vessel. Discard the solids.
4. In a medium saucepan, bring the milk to a boil. Once boiling, remove from the heat and add to the strained mixture. The milk will begin to curdle. Gently stir to combine.
5. Slowly strain the mixture through a cheesecloth-lined strainer. Repeat straining two or three times. You want a clear liquid.
6. Serve immediately or store the clarified punch in a sterilized glass bottle in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
7. To serve, pour 3 ounces of milk punch over a large ice cube and garnish with a lemon peel and freshly grated nutmeg.
*The key is 5 cups of hard alcohol. The sweetness of rum is difficult to replace, but you can use bourbon, whiskey, or rye instead of cognac to no ill effect.
