No brunch is complete without a refreshing fruit bellini. This fresh plum bellini cocktail is made with sweet summer plums and bubbly prosecco. It's a sophisticated boozy beverage to share with friends.
What is a bellini?
A bellini is a simple Italian cocktail, traditionally made with white peach puree and prosecco. It's just 2 simple ingredients, making it ideal for a brunch, casual dinner party, or lazy summer day. The fruit puree is prepared in a blender, chilled, then poured into a glass, and topped with sparkling prosecco. It really is that simple!
Why this recipe works
For this plum bellini cocktail, I swapped out the peaches and went for their close cousins- ripe juicy plums. I won't lie, I did it mainly because I wanted a pretty pink drink! However, the results are equally impressive and it's a great way to use those summer plums. Instead of peeling the skins with a knife (which is often difficult and tends to leave the best juicy and most colorful parts), the plums will make a short trip to some boiling water so that peeling becomes a breeze!
Top Tips
- Use gloves when removing the skins and squeezing them. Your hands will turn pink without them.
- Be sure to have your prosecco and puree as cold as possible before preparing the cocktail.
- Resist the urge to stir when it is still fizzy, or it may bubble over.
- For best results, choose ripe plums.
- For the extra plum puree, try using it in a vinaigrette for salads or adding it to smoothies.
Substitutions
- If you want to make this traditional, swap back the peaches for the plums.
- Try your favorite champagne in place of the prosecco.
- To make this non-alcoholic, swap out the prosecco for club soda. You can also serve this delicious and easy cantaloupe agua fresca alongside the bellinis for those who want to skip the booze.
Plum Bellini Cocktail
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- 1 bottle of Prosecco, chilled
- 4 medium plums about 1lb
Instructions
- Score a shallow "x" in each of the plums with a knife. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Place the plums in the pot and boil for 20 seconds. Immediately remove the plums and place them to cool in a bowl. The skins will now peel off easily. Squeeze the skins and extract as much juice/color from them as possible. Remove the flesh from the pit and discard the pit and skins.
- Place the plum flesh in a blender and puree on high until completely smooth. Chill the puree in the refrigerator for up to 4 hours.
- When ready to serve, place about 3 tablespoon of plum puree in the bottom of a champagne flute. Top with prosecco. After the fizz has subsided, gently stir. Serve garnished with a slice of plum or a sprig of fresh mint.
Notes
- The puree can be made 24 hours in advance.
- Depending on the size of your bottle of prosecco and your flutes, you will have leftover puree. Add it to a vinaigrette for salads or toss it into your favorite smoothie recipe.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!