Equipment
Ingredients
Main
- 3 lemon, whole
- 150 g sugar
- 750 ml gin
- 120 ml orange liqueur
- 1000 ml soda water, chilled
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 158 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbohydrates
- 16 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 14 g
- Sodium
- 7 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Potassium
- 20 mg
- Calcium
- 17 mg
- Iron
- 0.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 2 mg
- Phosphorus
- 3 mg
- Zinc
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 0 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 15 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.01 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.01 mg
- Niacin
- 0.1 mg
- Folate
- 2 mcg
- Water
- 80 g
- Alcohol
- 13 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Peel the lemons into long strips using a vegetable peeler, ensuring no white pith is attached.
Place the lemon peels and 150g of sugar into a mixing bowl.
Muddle the peels and sugar together vigorously to release the lemon oils.
Allow the mixture to steep at room temperature for 150 minutes.
Juice the lemons to obtain 180ml (3/4 cup) of juice.
Pour the lemon juice over the sugar and peel mixture, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Transfer the lemon mixture into a 3-quart pitcher and fill it halfway with ice.
Add 750ml of gin, 120ml of orange liqueur, and 1000ml of chilled soda water to the pitcher.
Stir the punch to combine and serve immediately in glasses.
Chef's Notes
- Ensure you only get the yellow zest when peeling the lemons, as the white pith is bitter and will negatively impact the flavor of the punch.
- Don't skip the steeping time; it's crucial for extracting the aromatic oils from the lemon peel into the sugar, forming the flavor base of the punch.
- For an extra touch, consider garnishing each glass with a fresh lemon twist or a thin slice of orange.
- Taste and adjust the sweetness or tartness before serving. If you prefer a less sweet punch, you can slightly reduce the sugar, or add a touch more lemon juice for tang.
Storage
Refrigerator: 24 hours — Store the base without soda water for up to 24 hours; add soda water just before serving.
Troubleshooting
Punch is overly bitter
Cause: White pith was included with the lemon peels
Fix: Add a small amount of additional sugar or simple syrup to balance the bitterness
Prevention: Use a light touch with the peeler to only remove the yellow zest
Sugar remains grainy at the bottom
Cause: Insufficient stirring before adding ice
Fix: Stir vigorously; the movement of the ice may help dissolve remaining crystals
Prevention: Ensure sugar is fully dissolved in the lemon juice before transferring to the pitcher
Cultural Context
Gin punch was a popular and sophisticated beverage in Victorian England, often served at social gatherings and celebrations. It evolved from earlier punches, with the Victorian era seeing a rise in elaborate recipes and presentations, reflecting a growing interest in mixed drinks and entertaining.
