A sparkling drink made blush with a tart beet granita.

　　Ruby-skinned beets are an unexpected but welcome ingredient in cocktails: their high sugar content and bright hue make them an excellent, all-natural way to add a pop of color and flavor. Here, the beets are pureed into a granita, with spicy star anise and allspice to complement their earthy undertones, and then topped with a refreshing dose of prosecco.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 6

　　8 ounces cooked beets*

　　1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch chunks

　　1 cup granulated sugar

　　1 1/4 cups water

　　3/4 cup apple cider vinegar

　　6 star anise pods

　　2 teaspoons whole allspice berries

　　1 (750-milliliter) bottle prosecco, chilled

　　*Use homemade roasted beets or store-bought vacuum-sealed beets. Avoid canned beets, which are too soft and waterlogged to use in cocktails.

　　

Step 1

Pulse beets and apples in a food processor until completely pureed. Set aside.

　　

Step 2

Combine sugar, water, vinegar, star anise, and allspice in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until sugar is completely dissolved, about 5 minutes. Stir in pureed beets. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

　　

Step 3

Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a 13-by-9-inch baking pan; discard solids. Place pan in freezer. Scrape mixture with a fork once every 20 minutes until mixture is fully frozen and has a slushy consistency.

　　

Step 4

To serve, spoon 3 to 4 tablespoons granita into each of 6 champagne flutes. Top with prosecco.

　　Recipes from Winter Cocktails by María Del Mar Sacasa. Copyright © 2013 by Quirk Books.