Traveling around Rome recently, I didn’t only discover a delicious new amaro — I also came across what might be my favorite dessert cocktail of all time. Most dessert cocktails tend to be creamy with flavors of chocolate or coffee, and those aren’t usually what I want after dinner. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a cheeky Bailey’s coffee or a fun retro indulgence like a Grasshopper, but they are too rich and too heavy after finishing a whole meal. The alternative is something more delicate and sharper, which still has sweetness but has a lightness that makes it the perfect digestif.
The drink which won me round is called the Sgroppino, and it’s an Italian classic you’ll also see referred to as a frozen lemon drop. It combines the sparkling cut of Prosecco with the sharpness of lemon sorbet, and adds in a shot of vodka for extra oomph. It’s prepared by whisking rather than shaking or stirring, so it keeps its light sorbet texture, but the alcoholic ingredients give it depth and body.
I loved the classic version of the drink, and it’s the perfect thing to sip on at the end of a delicious lunch while sitting in the glorious Italian sunshine. But it’s also easy to recreate at home, if you long to bring a bit of that Mediterranean flavor home with you. The key is to find really good lemon sorbet that is sharp and not too sweet, but that has a smooth and icy texture rather than the creamy texture you’ll find in most ice creams.
You want to use decent Prosecco as well, and if you’re feeling really fancy then you could bust out the Champagne. But it’s honestly not necessary to go very high end here as you won’t taste the nuances, so there’s no reason to waste your best fizz.
Where I think the drink can be improved is the vodka. Vodka is a fine spirit, and its presence helps to up the alcohol content of the drink and to give it a sharper, more biting edge which it benefits from. However, it doesn’t add a lot flavor-wise, so here is where you can make adjustments. The bergamot liqueur Italicus is the perfect addition here, bringing floral notes as well as citrus peel depth. If you can’t get your hands on that, though, a shot of limoncello would work to up the lemon flavors and stay on theme for an Italian drink.
How to make an upgraded Sgroppino
Ingredients:
- 1 oz. Prosecco or other sparkling white wine
- Several scoops of lemon sorbet
- 0.5 oz. Italicus
Method:
Add the ingredients to a bowl, not a shaker tin, and whisk them together. Use a whisk or a fork to gently break apart the sorbet and combine the ingredients. The aim is to mix but keep a light, airy texture with some bubbles and a slushie-like texture.
Pour the mixture into a Champagne flute or wine glass and garnish with a slice of lemon or a fresh raspberry.
