Place a coupe or Nick & Nora glass in the freezer for at least 10 minutes or fill with ice and water while you build the cocktail to ensure the final drink is chilled.

Prepare pear puree (if not pre-made)

Peel, core and chop one ripe pear. Place in a blender and puree until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove fibers. Measure 1 oz for the recipe and reserve the rest for another use.

Mixing

Dry shake

In a cocktail shaker add gin, elderflower liqueur, fresh lemon juice, pear puree, simple syrup and egg white (if using). Seal the shaker and dry shake (no ice) vigorously for 15–20 seconds. This emulsifies the egg white and creates a silky foam.

Wet shake

Add a generous scoop of ice to the shaker. Shake hard for 12–15 seconds until the outside of the shaker feels very cold (dilution and chilling achieved).

Double strain

Discard the ice/water from the chilled glass. Using a Hawthorne strainer and a fine mesh strainer, double-strain the cocktail into the chilled coupe to remove small ice shards and pear solids for a smooth texture.

Finish & Garnish

Top with bubbles

Gently top the cocktail with 2 oz of chilled dry champagne or sparkling wine. Pour slowly down the side of the glass to preserve the foam from the shaken egg white.

Garnish

Express a lemon twist over the surface of the drink to release oils, run it around the rim and drop it into the glass. Float an edible flower on the foam and, if desired, grate a tiny amount of lemon zest on top for aroma.

Serve immediately while effervescence and foam are fresh.