SFist Drinks: Autumn Apple Cocktail from Cyrus

Place a V-shaped glass in the freezer to chill. Prepare and chill the apple foam using apple juice as the base.

Combine the apple brandy, juices, cider, and syrup in a mixing glass and stir well. Add enough ice to fill the mixing glass, cover, and shake hard for 7 seconds. Strain into the chilled glass, and apply a thin layer of apple foam to the top. Place the apple chips on top of the foam and sprinkle a little cinnamon and sugar on top. Carefully set 3 or 4 marigold petals on the foam to serve.

Ginger Simple Syrup
(Makes 3/4 cup--enough for about 24 cocktails)

3/4 cup simple syrup, chilled
1 drop essential oil of ginger

Combine the simple syrup and essential oil in an airtight container and shake well. The syrup will keep for 3 to 4 weeks refrigerated in the airtight container.

Dehydrated Apple Chips
(Makes about 8 chips--enough for 4 cocktails)

1 small apple
1/2 cup simple syrup
Cinnamon, for sprinkling
Sugar, for sprinkling

Using a sharp knife or mandolin, cut as many 1/4-inch-thick slices from the apple as you can, removing the seeds.

If using a food dehydrator, spray the trays with vegetable oil or lightly oil them with a paper towel. Dip the apple slices in the simple syrup (to prevent browning) and shake off any excess syrup. Lay the slices on the rack. Sprinkle each slice with a little bit of cinnamon and sugar. Dehydrating will take 24 to 36 hours, depending on the thickness of the slice.

If using the oven, preheat it to 150°F. Lay the apple slices on a silicone mat and sprinkle each with a little bit of cinnamon and sugar. Place the silicone mat on the center rack in the oven and bake for 5 hours, until almost all of the moisture is gone. Set the chips on a wire rack to cool. They will be warm, soft, and limp for a few minutes and will harden as they cool, just like cookies fresh from the oven. Stored in an airtight container, the chips will keep for 2 to 3 days.

Juice-Based Foams
(Makes 2 cups--enough for about 20 cocktails)

1-1/4 leaves gelatin
4 cups cold water
9 ounces strained fruit juice
3 ounces simple syrup
1/3 cup Thai coconut milk

1. In a metal bowl, bloom the gelatin leaves in the water for 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, combine the fruit juice and simple syrup in a small saucepan and heat over medium-high heat just until it boils. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

3. Remove the gelatin from the water and squeeze out most of the excess water. Discard the water and toss the gelatin back into the empty bowl.

4. Fill a large bowl with ice and set the bowl with the gelatin on top of the ice. Pour the hot juice mixture over the gelatin slowly. With a whisk, beat the gelatin until frothy, about 30 seconds.

5. Allow the gelatin mixture to cool to at least 45°F, then whisk in the coconut milk.

6. Pour the mixture into a whipped cream canister and seal it tight. Invert the canister and charge it with a cartridge.

7. Shake the canister vigorously for 15 seconds, then place it in the refrigerator to cool. The foam can be used after about 10 minutes, but it will be more stable after 24 hours. Shake the canister vigorously before each use. Cover the tip of the canister with a small towel so any foam left on the tip from the last use doesn't splatter when you shake it again. Always dispense the foam with the canister completely inverted over the cocktail. If the foam comes out thick, let it settle on top of the drink for 15 to 20 seconds before garnishing. Keep the canister refrigerated when not dispensing the foam.

Variation: To use powdered gelatin, combine 1-1/4 teaspoons of powdered gelatin with 3 ounces of the strained juice or simple syrup, which should be chilled, and allow the gelatin to bloom for 10 minutes. Follow the instructions above to heat the remaining juice and simple syrup mixture. Remove from the heat, add the bloomed gelatin and its soaking liquid, and beat until frothy. Follow the instructions above to cool the mixture, add the coconut milk, and charge the canister.

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