Witch’s Eye Martini
10 min
|
easy
|
gluten-free,
low-fat
Recipe by Eunice
Introduction
Think your favorite sushi-bar lychee martini, dressed for Halloween: blueberry-stuffed lychees become creepy eyes while vodka, lychee syrup, St-Germain, and lime keep the sip floral, juicy, and clean.
Perfect for parties or a cheeky date night, it shakes up fast, looks dramatic on ice, and stays balanced not sugary, exactly how I like it.
Ingredients (2 servings)
Get Ingredients →Order the ingredients from your local store for pickup or delivery. You’ll check out through Instacart.
Ingredients:
- 4 canned lychees in light syrup, drained canned lychees in light syrup 8 oz
- 4 fresh blueberries fresh blueberries 0.2 oz
- 4 fl oz vodka vodka 4 fl oz
- 2 fl oz lychee syrup (reserved from the can) canned lychees in light syrup 2 fl oz (for lychee syrup)
- 1 fl oz St-Germain elderflower liqueur elderflower liqueur 1 fl oz St-Germain
- 1 fl oz freshly squeezed lime juice lime 1 ct (for freshly squeezed lime juice)
- ice ice
How to Make Witch’s Eye Martini
-
Chill glassware and tools
Set two martini or coupe glasses in the freezer for at least 10 minutes and chill your shaker tin if you can because cold glass keeps the texture tight and luxurious.
-
Make the lychee eyes
Pat the canned lychees dry so the blueberries grip and tuck one blueberry into the cavity of each lychee with the blossom end facing out for that eye look.
Thread two eyes per cocktail pick so they rest across the rim or can be dropped into the drink without floating away.
-
Load the shaker
Add 4 ounces vodka, 2 ounces lychee syrup, 1 ounce St-Germain, and 1 ounce fresh lime juice to a cocktail shaker, then fill it three quarters with solid ice cubes.
-
Shake hard
Seal and shake vigorously for 12 to 15 seconds until the shaker is painfully frosty because that tells you the drink is properly chilled and diluted.
-
Taste and adjust
Crack the tin and taste with a bar spoon, adding a splash more lime if it is too sweet or a touch more lychee syrup if it is too tart, then re-shake for 5 seconds.
-
Strain and garnish
Double strain into the chilled glasses to catch pulp and ice shards for a silky finish.
Rest a lychee eye skewer across each glass or drop the eyes in for spooky effect and serve immediately.
Substitutions
- Vodka -> Gin
- Swap vodka with a London dry gin for a floral, juniper backbone that plays beautifully with lychee and elderflower while keeping the drink crisp.
- St-Germain -> Elderflower cordial
- Use 1 ounce high-quality elderflower cordial for the same perfumed lift without extra alcohol, and balance sweetness by trimming lychee syrup by 0.25 ounce if needed.
- Canned lychees -> Canned longans
- Canned longans mimic the pale, glossy look and delicate perfume of lychee, and their syrup stands in cleanly so the texture and color of the witchy eyes stay spot on.
Tips
- Dial in sweetness like a pro
- Canned lychee syrup ranges from light to heavy; if yours tastes very sweet, start with 1.5 ounces and only add the last 0.5 ounce after a quick taste test.
- Double strain for velvet
- A fine mesh strainer over your Hawthorne strains out blueberry bits, lime pulp, and tiny ice chips so the sip is glassy and refined, not slushy.
- Build a better eyeball
- Dry the lychees well, insert the blueberry blossom side out for that iris detail, and pierce through both fruit walls with the pick so the eyes do not slide off.
- Keep it arctic cold
- Freeze the glasses, use large dense ice, and shake until your hands say enough because cold tightens flavors and keeps the texture razor clean.
- Go spooky with a black sugar rim
- Tint granulated sugar with a drop of black gel coloring, let it dry, then rim the glass with a lime wedge and dip for a crisp, inky contrast that stays sparkly.
- Batch for a party
- Combine 2 cups vodka, 1 cup lychee syrup, 0.5 cup St-Germain, and 0.5 cup lime plus 0.25 cup cold water, chill for 2 hours, then pour into frozen glasses and add the eyeballs.
Nutrition Facts *
| Energy | 203 | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 1 | g |
| Total Fat | 1 | g |
| Carbohydrates | 19 | g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 | g |
* Approximate, per serving.
Data source: USDA FoodData Central.
FAQ
- My drink tastes too sweet, how do I fix it?
- Shake in 0.25 ounce more lime juice and a small splash of vodka, then re-shake hard; a pinch of saline solution or a tiny grain of kosher salt can also sharpen the edges without making it salty.
- It is too tart, what should I add?
- Add 0.25 ounce lychee syrup or a barspoon of St-Germain, re-shake for 5 seconds, and taste again so the floral sweetness does not bulldoze the lychee.
- My lychee eyes keep sliding off the pick, what am I doing wrong?
- Dry the lychee thoroughly and skewer through one side of the lychee, then through the blueberry, then out the opposite lychee wall so the pick anchors both fruits.
- Why is my martini watery or dull?
- You likely used small, wet ice or shook too long; switch to dense cubes, shake 12 to 15 seconds max, and always pour into a properly chilled glass.
- I cannot find canned lychee syrup, any workarounds?
- Use equal parts simple syrup and 100 percent white grape juice with a drop or two of rose water to mimic lychee’s floral sweetness without turning soapy.
- Can I make a zero proof version?
- Replace vodka with a nonalcoholic botanical spirit, swap St-Germain for elderflower cordial, keep the lime the same, and shake hard so the texture still feels grown up.
Serving Suggestions
Halloween party or date night, this beauty hits with lychee perfume, floral sparkle, and a clean lime snap, and it loves salty snacks like sesame crackers, marcona almonds, or nori-dusted popcorn.
For a bolder twist, add two dashes of orange bitters or a thin slice of fresh ginger to the shaker, or top with a one ounce splash of chilled prosecco for a wicked little spritz.
Reviews
We haven’t received any feedback on this recipe yet.
Made this recipe? How did it go?
Please leave your feedback below. We’d love to hear from you!
