Looking for some passion in your life? Look no further than this Passion Fruit Mojito—a sweet mix of rum, lime, and passion fruit topped with a mint garnish.
I got into mojitos about 15 years ago. They seemed to be the latest bar craze so naturally, I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. My desire to try one was strengthened when I happened to spot a bartender make one. So much went into it—ingredients AND effort—that I wanted to see whether it would surpass simpler drinks, your rum & cokes and vodka & OJs, which had been my tipples till then. So I ordered one. Mojitos were still new so bartenders at the time didn’t resent having to make one the way I think some bartenders these days do. In any case, he jumped at the chance to show off his mixological skills. And what skills he had! The drink was superb and made me a mojito supporter for life.
The mojito comes to us from Cuba where it was administered to sailors to combat scurvy. (Yep, that lime juice does more than just enhance the taste.) Sir Francis Drake is also credited with its invention, having concocted a prototype with bourbon instead of rum then called it El Draque. Despite the cool name, this theory is open to copious debate. What matters is what we have in front of us now, which is a recipe for a derivative of the mojito, one which adds passion fruit to make the mojito a tropical wonderland you want to get lost in.
Why Must I Use Superfine Sugar?
I recommend using caster sugar (another name for superfine sugar) over your run-of-the-mill white granulated sugar because it dissolves more quickly in the mojito. The sweetness can then be more easily distributed throughout the drink (totally important in a drink where the sugar needs to balance the tartness of the lime). I also like a smooth sip and not having to worry about sugar granules ruining the texture of my cocktail.
What is the Best Rum to Use?
- White Rum: I would say the best rum is the lightest rum. That’s because white rum has a more subtle taste and therefore, won’t overpower the other ingredients in your mojito. And not to be all about appearances, but the clear rum won’t alter the color of your brilliant passion fruit–tinted tincture.
- Amber/Gold Rum: Rums like Appleton or Mount Gay are aged in oak barrels, which gives them their amber/gold color. They have a bit more going on than white rums so if you find the latter a tad unexciting, sample an amber rum and hold onto your seat.
- Dark Rum: Dark rums are typically aged even longer than amber rums, which is partially the reason for the dark shade. Were you to drink it straight, you would pick up on the caramel and molasses, which are sometimes added. As part of a mojito, though, those flavors are a bit more difficult to identify. What’s more, you may not appreciate the darkness of the dark rum darkening your mojito.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces white rum
- 1 ounce fresh lime juice
- 1 ripe passion fruit
- 2 tsp superfine sugar
- fresh mint leaves
- club soda
- ice cubes
- lime wedge and mint sprigs (for garnish)
Instructions
- Cut the passion fruit in half and scoop out the pulp into a glass.
- In the same glass, add the rum, fresh lime juice, superfine sugar, and mint leaves. Use a muddler to lightly crush the mint into the lime juice and sugar.
- Fill the glass with ice and then top it up with club soda to your liking. Garnish with lime wheel and mint sprig. Stir before serving.
Nutrition
FAQs & Tips
Go for the tall and slender options: a highball or a Collins glass. For garnish, it wouldn’t be a mojito without a lime wedge and mint leaves. Given this is a passion fruit mojito, add a passion-fruit slice to the rim. Oh, and that mint leaf? Give it a gentle spank between your palms; this will release its minty essence.
First, separate the liquid from the garnishes, which can be discarded. Then store the liquid in an airtight container (a mason jar works well) and keep it in the fridge for up to 24 hours. When you return to it, give it a stir and a sip to see where the flavor is at. If you think it would benefit from more muddlin’, prep your mojito as you would a fresh one then add the saved liquid and stir. You may also need to add a splash of soda, as the bubbles may have long since breathed their last.
We have calculated there are 251 calories in this mojito, a majority of which come from the rum. To reduce this count, shop around for light rums (i.e., with fewer calories). These will probably be white rums, as they typically have slightly less alcohol and don’t usually feature added ingredients that may up the calorie count.
The end of a wooden spoon or other such cooking utensil will work in a pinch. You can also use the underside of a regular metal spoon. Remember, you don’t want to pulverize the ingredients, you just want to release their oil/essence.
Sure, add all the ingredients (rum, lime juice, mint sprigs, passion fruit, sugar) to a blender along with ice chips. Once blended, add the soda water. Then garnish with a lime wedge and mint leaves.
Other Mojito Cocktails To Try
- Mango Mojito: Everything you love about the traditional mojito but with home-blended mango puree.
- Virgin Passion Fruit Mojito: Drop the rum. Make up for it with the addition of more fruit juice, lime juice, and/or soda.
- Coconut Mojito: A creamy yet fizzy take on the mojito with coconut rum and coconut milk used for a tropical taste.
- Watermelon Mojito: Become a melon masher when you make this version, which features melon chunks for a refreshing cocktail.
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