Skip to main content
Epicurious
Cookbooks

Blood Orange–Champagne Ice Cream Float

By Tom Parker Bowles
Image may contain Drink Cocktail Alcohol Beverage Juice and Plant
Photo by David Loftus

This citrusy dessert cocktail is a great way to use up any leftover Champagne or sparkling wine.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes 1 float

Ingredients

15ml (3 teaspoons) Champagne or sparkling wine (this can be flat, left over from a party)
15g (about 3 1/4 teaspoons) caster or superfine sugar
25ml (5 teaspoons) Cocchi Vermouth di Torino
15ml (3 teaspoons) Campari
35ml (about 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon) soda water
2 scoops of orange sorbet, preferably blood orange
A slice of orange (use blood orange, if in season)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Put the Champagne or sparkling wine in a small pan and simmer until reduced by a third. Add the caster sugar and stir until dissolved, then leave to cool. (It’s worth making a much larger quantity of this syrup and storing it in the fridge to make other drinks.)

    Step 2

    Pour the vermouth, Campari, Champagne syrup, and soda water into a small shaker and shake for 10-15 seconds. Scoop the sorbet into a chilled float glass. Pour the liquid ingredients on top and garnish with the slice of orange.

Image may contain: Seafood, Food, Animal, and Sea Life
From Fortnum & Mason: The Cookbook © 2017 by Tom Parker Bowles. Reprinted by permission of Fourth Estate, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Buy the full book from HarperCollins or from Amazon.
TagsDessertFrozen DessertCocktailAlcoholBeveragesCampariAmaroLiqueurChampagneSparkling WineWineVermouthBlood OrangeOrangeCitrusFruitMake AheadSimmerSpringWinterHarper CollinsCookbooks

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

Read More
Sea Breeze
Gourmet’s version of this perfect summer drink mixes the ideal ratio of vodka with cranberry and grapefruit juices, right in the glass.
Kimchi Bloody Mary
The kimchi brine is the secret hero here; just a splash of it brightens the cocktail while deepening it with a little funky je ne sais quoi.
Bicycle Bandit
A riff on the Bicycle Thief cocktail, a citrusy, low ABV riff on a Negroni, this three-ingredient, party-ready twist features grapefruit soda.
Hugo Spritz
With elderflower liqueur, mint, and prosecco, the effervescent Hugo spritz cocktail is a hit year round, but particularly on warm nights.
Grape Dumplings
Native American people made these with cornmeal dumplings, simmering them with wild grapes, which were harvested at their peak sweetness.
Île Flottante
Originally called omelette à la neige (snow omelet) in reference to the fluffy snow-like appearance of the meringue, île flottante (floating island) has a lengthy history that dates back to the 17th century.
Luscious Banana Pudding
Layer homemade custard, ripe bananas, and vanilla wafers under clouds of whipped cream for this iconic dessert.
Sour Cherry and Campari Galette
This Campari-spiked galette features the herbal aperitif, tart cherries, and floral citrus zest and is perfect for those who prefer bitter to sweet.