Balkan Quince Honey Lemon Fizz 🍐✨

Description

Balkan Quince Honey Lemon Fizz is a bright alcohol-free cocktail made with quince syrup, fresh lemon, honey, mint, ice, and sparkling water. It is golden, fragrant, crisp, and gently floral, with the old Balkan flavor of quince preserves turned into a fresh celebratory drink for warm afternoons, family tables, and pretty glasses.
‌
Hook ✨
‌
Quince syrup, lemon, honey, mint, ice, and sparkling water turn into a golden Balkan fizz that tastes fresh, nostalgic, and beautifully fragrant. 🍐

Ingredients

• Quince lemon base 🍐
• ‌
• 🍐 120 ml quince syrup or quince preserve syrup (½ cup / 4 fl oz)
• 🍋 45 ml fresh lemon juice (3 tbsp / 1.5 fl oz)
• 🍯 25 g honey (1 tbsp + 1 tsp / 0.9 oz)
• 🌿 12 fresh mint leaves
• 🍋 6 g lemon zest strips (from 1 lemon / 0.2 oz)
• 🧂 1 small pinch fine sea salt
• ‌
• Fizz and ice ✨
• ‌
• 💧 600 ml very cold sparkling water (2½ cups / 20 fl oz)
• 🧊 360 g ice cubes (3 cups / 12.7 oz)
• 🍐 120 g fresh quince or pear, thinly sliced for garnish (1 small / 4.2 oz)
• 🌿 Extra mint leaves
• 🍋 Lemon wheels
• ‌
• Optional glass rim 🍯
• ‌
• 🍯 15 g honey (2 tsp / 0.5 oz)
• 🍋 5 g lemon zest, finely grated (1 tbsp / 0.17 oz)
• 🍬 20 g fine sugar (1½ tbsp / 0.7 oz)

Preparation

1. 1️⃣ Prepare the glasses 🍯
2. ‌
3. If using the rim, brush the edge of each glass lightly with honey. Mix fine sugar and lemon zest on a small plate, then dip the rims gently so they catch a thin fragrant layer.
4. ‌
5. 2️⃣ Build the quince base 🍐
6. ‌
7. Add quince syrup, lemon juice, honey, mint leaves, lemon zest strips, and a small pinch of salt to a small jug. Stir for 30 sec, until the honey loosens and the mixture looks glossy.
8. ‌
9. 3️⃣ Lightly crush the mint 🌿
10. ‌
11. Press the mint leaves gently with the back of a spoon for 10 sec. Do not crush them too hard, because mint can turn bitter if overworked.
12. ‌
13. 4️⃣ Add ice 🧊
14. ‌
15. Fill four tall glasses with ice cubes. Add a few quince or pear slices and one lemon wheel to each glass so the fruit sits visibly against the ice.
16. ‌
17. 5️⃣ Pour the syrup 🍋
18. ‌
19. Divide the quince lemon base between the glasses, pouring it slowly over the ice so the golden color settles around the fruit.
20. ‌
21. 6️⃣ Add the sparkle ✨
22. ‌
23. Top each glass with very cold sparkling water. Pour slowly down the inside of the glass to keep the bubbles lively and clean.
24. ‌
25. 7️⃣ Stir gently 🌀
26. ‌
27. Give each drink one gentle stir only, lifting the quince syrup through the bubbles without flattening the fizz.
28. ‌
29. 8️⃣ Finish fresh 🌿
30. ‌
31. Garnish with extra mint, a thin quince or pear slice, and a lemon wheel. Serve immediately while the drink is cold, bubbly, and fragrant.

Total Time

⏱ Prep: 10 min
🔥 Cook/Bake: 0 min
🛋 Rest: 0 min
⏰ Total: 10 min

Back to full recipe