Zero-Proof Party Punch Bowl with Roasted Pineapple & Hibiscus-Berry Syrup

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A big-bowl fruit punch that tastes like it came from a cocktail bar instead of a can. Pineapple gets roasted until its edges caramelize, then blended and strained into a deep, honeyed juice; a hibiscus-berry-ginger syrup gives the punch its ruby color and a tart backbone so it never turns cloying. Fresh orange and lime keep it lively, and a splash of ginger ale goes in only at the last second so the bowl stays fizzy from the first cup to the last. Everything but the bubbles can be made three days ahead.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup dried hibiscus flowers (flor de jamaica), loosely packed
• 2 cups frozen mixed berries (raspberries and blackberries)
• 3 inch piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced (no need to peel)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 strips orange peel, removed with a vegetable peeler

• 1 large ripe pineapple (about 4 lb), peeled and cored
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 2 1/2 cups cold water

• 3 cups fresh orange juice (from 8 to 10 oranges)
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice (from 4 to 5 limes)
• 1 cup unsweetened cranberry juice or tart cherry juice
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

• 1 liter ginger ale or club soda, very cold
• 2 cups frozen raspberries and blueberries, for the ice block and garnish
• 2 oranges, thinly sliced into wheels
• 2 limes, thinly sliced into wheels
• 1 large handful fresh mint sprigs

• 1 1/2 oz per glass white or aged rum, poured to order

Instructions

1. Make the ice block first, ideally the night before: scatter 1 cup of the frozen berries and a few orange and lime wheels in a loaf pan or small Bundt pan, add water to within 1/2 inch of the rim, and freeze at least 8 hours until solid. A single large block melts far slower than cubes and keeps the punch from watering down.
2. Make the syrup: combine the 1 1/2 cups water, sugar, hibiscus, 2 cups frozen mixed berries, sliced ginger, cinnamon stick, and orange peel strips in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes, pressing the berries against the side of the pan with a spoon to break them up.
3. Remove the syrup from the heat and let it steep, uncovered, for 20 minutes — this is where the ginger heat and hibiscus tartness build. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl or jar, pressing firmly on the solids to extract every bit of juice, then discard the solids. You should have about 2 1/2 cups of deep-ruby syrup. Chill until cold.
4. Heat the oven to 425°F. Cut the peeled, cored pineapple into 1-inch-thick spears and toss with the brown sugar on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Spread in a single layer and roast 25 to 35 minutes, turning once at the halfway point, until the edges are browned and the juices on the pan have gone sticky and amber. Do not stop early — the caramelized edges are the whole point.
5. Scrape the pineapple and every drop of pan juice into a blender, add the 2 1/2 cups cold water, and blend on high for 45 seconds. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl, pressing hard on the pulp; you should get about 4 cups of thick, fragrant roasted pineapple juice. Chill at least 2 hours, or until cold.
6. Build the punch in a large punch bowl or 1-gallon pitcher: combine the roasted pineapple juice, the chilled hibiscus-berry syrup, orange juice, lime juice, cranberry juice, and the salt. Stir well for 15 seconds. Taste — it should be assertively tart and slightly more intense than you want the finished drink, since the bubbles and ice will soften it. Add up to 1/4 cup more syrup if your citrus was especially sour. Refrigerate until serving, up to 3 days.
7. Just before guests arrive, unmold the ice block by dipping the pan in warm water for 20 seconds and slide it into the punch bowl. Pour the cold punch base over it, then add the ginger ale in a slow stream down the side of the bowl and stir only once or twice to preserve the fizz.
8. Float the orange and lime wheels, the remaining 1 cup frozen berries, and the mint sprigs on top. Ladle into glasses over a single ice cube. For adults, set the rum alongside and let anyone who wants it pour 1 1/2 oz into their glass before topping with punch.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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