Empress Sour Recipe
(RICH, CREAMY, INDULGENT) A noble concoction of Empress Gin crowned with a light cucumber foam, creating a smooth, subtly sour cocktail with a refreshing finish.
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Ingredients
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Cocktail
Cucumber Foam (topper)
Garnish
Method
Cocktail
Prepare and dry shake
Add 2 oz Empress Gin, 0.75 oz fresh lemon juice, 0.75 oz simple syrup and 1 egg white into a cocktail shaker. Do a dry shake (no ice) vigorously for 15–20 seconds to emulsify and build a rich, creamy foam.
Wet shake and chill
Open the shaker, add 4 ice cubes, then shake again vigorously for 10–15 seconds until the shaker is cold to the touch and the foam is dense and silky.
Strain into glass
Double-strain the cocktail into a chilled coupe or Nick & Nora glass using a Hawthorne and fine mesh strainer to remove ice shards and ensure a smooth texture.
Cucumber Foam (topper)
Strain: Press the purée through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl to extract clear cucumber juice, discarding solids. You should yield roughly 2–3 tbsp of clear juice; if needed, adjust quantity by using slightly more cucumber.
Create foam: Pour the strained cucumber juice into a tall container. Add 0.5 tsp lecithin powder (or, alternatively, replace lecithin with 1 additional egg white if you did not want to use lecithin—note: if using an extra egg white, omit the egg white in the cocktail section or reduce there accordingly). Using an immersion blender, blend the surface for 15–30 seconds while keeping the head of the blender near the surface to incorporate air and build a stable foam. If using lecithin, foam will form quickly and remain light and airy; if using egg white, the foam will be richer and denser.
Chill foam briefly: Let the foam rest 30–60 seconds to stabilize. If it appears too runny, refrigerate the cucumber juice for 5–10 minutes, then re-blend briefly.
Top the cocktail: Spoon or gently pour a 1/2–3/4 inch layer of cucumber foam over the cocktail’s surface to crown the drink with a light green, airy cap.