Tropical Thyme Sour
Passion fruit and thyme is not an obvious combination, but it works better than it has any right to. The thyme syrup takes five minutes to make and keeps in the fridge for two weeks, and once you have it, the rest of the drink comes together in a single shake. Passion fruit for the tropical brightness, fresh lime to keep it properly sharp, aged rum underneath for warmth and depth, and a dry-shaken egg white that builds a froth substantial enough to hold the garnish. It is the kind of drink that looks like it took considerably more effort than it did, which is exactly what you want when you are making cocktails at home.
Tropical Thyme Sour
A refined sour cocktail balancing bright passion fruit, herbal thyme syrup, and aged white rum, with fresh lime keeping it sharp and a frothy egg white finish.
Ingredients
- 150ml aged white rum (such as Havana Club 3-Year-Old)
- 100ml passion fruit juice, freshly strained (from approximately 5 passion fruits)
- 40ml fresh lime juice
- 70ml thyme-infused simple syrup (see below)
- 1 medium egg white (optional, for froth)
- Ice
- 100g caster sugar
- 100ml water
- 10 fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 fresh thyme sprig
- 1 passion fruit, halved
- 1 lime wheel or strip of lime zest (optional)
Instructions
- Place the caster sugar, water and thyme sprigs in a small saucepan over a low heat. Stir gently until the sugar has fully dissolved.
- Remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 20 to 30 minutes as the syrup cools completely.
- Strain out the thyme sprigs and transfer the syrup to a clean jar or bottle. It will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Place the rum, passion fruit juice, lime juice, thyme syrup and egg white (if using) into a cocktail shaker.
- Dry shake without ice for 15 seconds to emulsify the egg white and build the froth.
- Add a generous handful of ice and shake again for a further 10 to 15 seconds until the shaker feels very cold and the liquid is well chilled.
- Double strain into two chilled glasses of your choice.
- Garnish each glass with a sprig of fresh thyme and half a passion fruit placed on top of the froth. Add a lime wheel or zest if using.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
230Fat
0 gSugar
26 gProtein
2 gCarbs
28 gApproximate values per serving
Ingredient Notes
Rum:
Havana Club 3-Year-Old is a great starting point here: affordable, clean and with just enough barrel character to sit well with the fruit. If you want to push the flavour further, a slightly older rum will add more depth without competing with the passion fruit
Passion fruit:
Freshly strained pulp gives the most vivid, aromatic result. Push the seeds and flesh through a fine sieve to extract the juice cleanly. A good quality passion fruit juice works in their place, though the flavour will be a little flatter.
Thyme syrup:
This is what makes the drink. The infusion doesn't need to be long, twenty to thirty minutes off the heat is plenty. Use fresh thyme rather than dried, which can taste medicinal, and taste the syrup before you bottle it. If you want a stronger herbal note, leave it a little longer.
Egg white:
A single medium egg white shared across two drinks gives a light, stable froth without the cocktail tasting eggy. If you'd rather not use egg white, aquafaba works well as a substitute. Use the same volume and dry shake in exactly the same way.
Lime:
Freshly squeezed only. Bottled lime juice is noticeably more bitter and will unbalance the drink.
Kitchen Notes
The first shake:
Don't skip this step if you're using egg white or aquafaba. Shaking without ice first allows the protein to foam properly before the cold sets it. You'll get significantly less froth if you add ice from the start.
Chilling your glasses:
Fill your glasses with ice or very cold water (or put them in the fridge) while you're making the cocktail, then tip it out just before you pour. A cold glass keeps the froth stable and makes the whole drink more refreshing.
Double straining:
Strain through both a fine mesh strainer. This removes any thyme fragments that made it through, and also any small shards of ice that would flatten the froth as they melt.
Making the syrup ahead:
The thyme syrup can be made a day or two before and stored in the fridge, which makes this a good option for a gathering. You can also scale it up easily: double or triple the quantities and keep it in a sealed jar. It will keep for two weeks.
Variations
Non-alcoholic:
Replace the rum with a good quality zero-proof spirit. The passion fruit and thyme will carry the drink well.
With orange liqueur:
A small splash of Cointreau or Grand Marnier added to the shaker introduces a citrus warmth that works particularly well with the thyme. Add no more than 15ml or it will start to dominate.
Vodka base:
White rum is the best fit here, but if you prefer a cleaner base, a good quality vodka works fine. You lose a little of the warm depth, but the tropical notes become crisper.
Serving Suggestions
Serve straight away, while the froth is at its best. These work well at a summer dinner party, handed out while people are arriving, or alongside a spread of light bites. The passion fruit garnish isn't just decoration: it's a cue to your guest to squeeze a little extra juice through the froth as they drink. The combination of glasses is flexible. A coupe makes it look elegant; a tumbler makes it feel more relaxed.
